The Wish
by MerlinsApprentince
Summary: On a dig, Lizzie comes across a amulet with a secert that belonged to the legendary wizard, Merlin. It is worth thousands, millions of dollars even. But is it worth her family and her friend's lives? r & r!!!
1. Part 1

The Wish  
  
***  
Title: The Wish  
Author: MerlinsAprrentince  
Plot: Lizzie wishes she could see her family more after an incident that she had with them. Finding Merlin's, the ancient wizard, amulet and making a wish Lizzie finds reasons to make up and be friends with her family and Miranda and Gordo. She learns how much she missed and how she wants to make it up. But can Lizzie reforge the bond that was fiercely broken at one point???  
  
A/N: This is an G/L in later eppies, so if you rather dont like this couple (i dont see why i mean its ethier that or Ethan Crafte ^.^'''') you shouldnt read this. And please read and review. If you like it, there won't be any new chapters until I at least get 5. Reviews give me insipration ^.~. Please enjoy this took quite some time to compose and type. For your 'reading' pleasure please enjoy...  
  
Disclaimer: Lizzie Mcguire does not belong to me. Nope. Uh Uh. Neber.  
But Alison, Gabe, Yeni, Danny, Anya, Miles, Cameron, Mr.Fuzzlewort and any other unfamiliar characters to belong to Miao' so if you wish to use them please contact me.... please?  
  
***  
  
Lizzie starred up at the humongus building. As large as it was and it just being a building she still felt quite intimadated, by its hugeness and the way it towered over her. But she was here and there was no turning back now.  
  
Elizabeth, more known as Lizzie, Mcgiure was now 24 and well into the being an adult and entering the human world. She had grown much in size being just mid-height, her hair instead of long and straight as she always loved it to be in middle school, the young woman now had to her shoulders and naturally wavy with its own highlights. She had also quit trying to do anything with her hair, amazingly. Sometimes she would pull out her collection of hair decorations and put them on but it never looked as youthful as it did before. And sometimes it would fall into the dirt she was investigated.   
  
Amazingly, Lizzie became an archelolgoist. She always wanted to be the one who found something strange and amazing and show it off, and she wanted to travel. Traveling was something she would never want to stop doing. So far she was taken to just about every continent , except Antartica. But she was sure she would have an assignment there sooner or later. Being an 'Arch', as Lizzie liked to refer to her and her comrads, had its advantages and disadvantages. Lizzie still had a flair for clothing but she didn't really wear much when she was ethier exploring unknown terrian or digging deeply in the dirt. Basicly she stuck to old jeans and overalls and old shirts in hopes they wouldn't get to ruin. Whenever she could she would indulge in dressing up into all the lastest fashions, but otherwise it was those and a pair of mountain boots. Her hair also had gotten in the way when it was long, so that was another reason it was short and wavy.  
  
She was more muscular and less fragile then she remembered. Lizzie had her share of bruises and scarpes and she had grown a soft tan instead if the pale ivory skin she envied now. She truly did love her job but it did just about everything to her 24-year old looks. But she shouldn't have been thinking of her looks right now. Lizzie had bigger problems to settle.   
  
Silently taking another fleeting look at the building she raced up its immsense steps in a pair of overalls a shirt and a jacket her mountains laced on ready for battle. Lizzie had found something that would be a great value for this company. And she really needed the money.  
  
Archeology wasn't as great as it was in earlier times. Egypt was practically un buried to the core and every castle in Europe has been excavated, and every Aztec or Inca ruine was discovered. Less and Less was being found. So she and her close Arch friends were loosing money and Yeni her roomate was getting really fed up of paying the rent all by herself.   
  
As Lizzie headed toward the entrance she scolded Alison and Gabe, her two close friends who were in the same profession as she was, making her come all by herself with out any of their help. Turning to the clerk who sat at the desk she blew a blonde lock away from her face and waked over a little bounce in her step her finger enclosed over her money maker that was in her left pocket.   
  
"Um... hi.... excuse me???" she asked the young woman who looked no older then 18 sitting and listening to head-banger music blowing a huge bubble out of bubble gum. She didn't look up from her Teen People magazine slowly banging her red head curls. Lizzie sighed rolling her eyes. She was like this sometimes but never at work. "Excuse me?" she called out louder looking down at her. Still no luck. The teenager was still head banging along. Suddenly feeling a spark of agitation she slammed her hand down hard upon the desk and she looked up sharply. Pulling down her earphones she raised and red eyebrow. "Yes may I help you??"  
  
Lizzie sighed with a tired friendly smile.She never lost her triat of friendliness. "Yes I have an appointmet with Carlos Lurenzo" she stated plainly. The girl knodded flipping through her little book and sighed cracking her gum annoyingly. Lizzie's smile was now forced. "Name?"  
  
"Elizabeth Mcgiure" she said softly looking over at the red head with a quiet disdain. "Go on" she said waving her to the left. Lizzie sighed and knodded giving a poilete thank you. Kids these days.   
As she rounded the corner she searched all the major excuetive office rooms until she spotted C. Lurenzo. Taking a deep breath Lizzie felt like she was approaching her science teacher instead of her boss but the situations were similiar in a way. Quietly she held a fist to knock on the door but at that excat moment the door opened. Lizzie stepped back a moment in shock. "Oh um... I -uh..Hello" she said sounding quite untelligent as she found a middle aged 30 year old man with shocking deep chocolate eyes.   
  
He was tall for 30 towering over short Lizzie and he had dark skin and soft pitch black hair. "Ah you must be Ms.Mcgruie" he said with a slight spanish accent and he gave a soft grin. Lizzie stared a moment her mouth agap. She didn't know her boss was so.... hot, for lack of words. Soundly she had a loss of words and gulped and fiegned a smile. "Uh--" she squealed as she saw his deep eyes. So pretty.   
  
Soundly she shook her head gainingher voice back. "Um.. yes thats me" she whispered back finally watching the young Carlos Lurenzo with a silent eye. "Well Ms.Mcgruie---"  
"Lizzie"  
Carlos smilied. "Lizzie, you've called for an appointment, but I'm afriad I don't have much time today. I have a meeting with my father Senor Lurenzo and a business meeting with a few employees" he sounded apologetic as he led the young girl into his office and sat her down on the seat. Lizzie faintly knodded half listening to what he was saying. The other half of her was marveling over the amazingness of the office. It was huge and instead of walls everything was made of glass so he could see in and out of everything. One of of the spacious room showed the wide range of palm trees and in the distant the ocean of Palm Beach Florida and on the other side was a trick mirror. Lizzie remembered that the hallway was made of mirror. Carlos could see all his visitors before they entered his office. She wondered if he could hear them too.   
  
"So Lizzie---"   
Lizzie was shot back into reality. "You have something of value for me. Your an archelogoist am I correct?'  
"Yes sir." she said with an enoucarging grin knodding her head. Silently her hand wandered to her pocket and felt the shiny object. Carlos knodded. "Well then show me" he insisted with a heart grabbing grin. Lizzie shuurgged as she pulled it out and layed it gently on Carlos's desk.  
  
Carlos leaned forward to examine the find more closely. It was a necklace. It was a simple metal string and hanging from it was an amulet, a large gem that fit perfectly into a human's palm surrounding was a metal carving of a dragon, a griffin, and a unicorn. Carlos looked at it . It was beautiful and brreath taking but he didn't see why it was valuable time-wise. "It is quite a beauty Miam. But I don't see what it would be a value of money for me...."  
  
Lizzie gave a small grin. "Look on the back" she encouraged eyeing softly. Carlos turned it over. Written in exqusite calligraphy was   
  
'Merlin'  
  
Carlos stared for a moment. He raised an eyebrow to Lizzie. "You don't seem much of a phony when you came in Ms.Mcgruie" he said his voice losing all friendlyness that it held before. Lizzie frowned starting up quickly her hands fiddling in her lap nervously. "What? Mr.Lurenzo... I'm-I'm not lying" she whispered. Carlos sighed. "I've had many people come to me with Merlin 'Authenthics' and King Arthur stuff, but none of them have come to prove true. Miss I'm sorry you can't hoax me. I've had to many doubts to believe this is real"  
  
"But Mr.Lurenzo if you listen to my story you'll see that this has to be Merlin's amulet---"  
  
"Ms.Mcguire thank you for your time, but I must be going along now. I musn't be late" Carlos cut her of stand up and wiping his expensive armani suite. Lizzie sighed blowing a blonde tendril away from her face, as she sprinted froward and stole the amazing amulet back into her safety comfines of her pocket. "Yes. Mr.Lurenzo. Have well... Have a nice day" Lizzie muttured quietly stomping out before Carlos could say another word.   
  
***  
"Hey Lizzie any luck?" Alison Parker, a bright red head girl a yea ror two younger then her. She was one of Lizzie's closest friends now in Florida. She was tall bright and wild at the same time, with a bubbly personilty. Lizzie sighed rolling her eyes as she entered the condo that she shared with Yeni, another great girl friend, who pitied her and let her, Alison, and her other close Arch friend Gabe. "None. He thought it was an fake.Oh but it isn't Alison!!! You,Gabe, and Alexis were there!! Witnesses that I unburied it in Ireland" she exclaimed throwing the amulet onto the coffee table placed neatly in front of the TV.   
  
Alison sighed but gave a smile. "Hey don't worry about it. We'll be out of here in no time. Lurenzo Senor wants You, me , Gabe, Alexis, George, and Gwen to excavate another pyramid down in Egypt" Lizzie wrinkled her nose and sank into the old couch, Alison following in pursuit. When in doubt have a soda. Alison handed her a coke. "Thanks..." Lizzie took a sip and felt the bubble of energy pop inside her from the high amount of caffiene and sugar in the sweet liquid. "I needed that"  
  
Alison knodded with a quick grin. "So whens... egypt?" Lizzie asked wrinkling her nose. Egypt was hot and stinky and very sandy sometimes. And alot of tourists were there. Almost as bad as Florida. Alison chuckled. "Soon. Boss doesn't have an excat date" she shurgged taking a sip of her own sweet beverage. They sat turning on the TV for a minute,hoping to forget all their troubles they had encountered during the day.  
  
Aftter about an hour, the condo door opened and Yeni a young cuban girl with a long sheet of black hair and olive skin and piercing green eyes sighed 2 full bags of grocery in hand. "Lizzie! How did your interview...?" But she stopped when she saw Lizzie's forlorn face and stilll say the amulent was in its house the coffe table. "Oh dear. I'm sorry Liz. If you want I'll pay the re---" Lizzie gave a grin. "Don't worry about it Yeni. I have money to pay for that. Its everything else I'm worried about" she teased but all humour was lost in it all. Yeni gave a small grin as she took the two handfuls of food into the small kitchen. "Wheres Gabe? He said he would cook dinner" Yeni whined as she pulled out a round large chicken. She was hoping to make a nice big turkey just for the fun of it and so they could have many leftovers. Alison shurgged. "He's been done at the beach surfing ever since we got here. I surprised he isnt living there yet" she snorted as she pulled herself from the couch to help Yeni with dinner.  
  
"Do you guys mind if I take a break today? I'd rather just take a bubble bath and reside in my bedroom if you don't mind all to much" Lizzie mummbled standing up and scooping Merlin's necklace along with her. Yeni and Alison looked at Lizzie then at each other taking a moment to think.   
  
"Don't worry bout it Liz. We'll handle this, do you want any?"  
  
Lizzie shook her head. "No thanks. I'll just have a sandwhich"  
  
  
Lizzie pulled out onto the large kings size bed. There was 5 bedrooms all in the condo. It was rather large, but the bedrooms were closet size each. Each person, Yeni, Alison, Gabe and Lizzie all had their each individual rooms and then their was the move room where a huge bed and a large tv, vcr, and dvd player resided. It was here where all the roomates had movie night or decided to have a sleep over or just to have fun.   
  
Lizzie was the only one in the room now, watching old I love Lucy reruns and snacking down on a bowl of fresh buttery popcorn. Decked in her overlarge pink shirt and plaid pajama bottoms Lizzie had never been more comfortable. She would have felt alot better though if she had sold that necklace. Lowering down the volume Lizzie took the necklace from the side table she layed it on before she took her 2 hour long bubble bath. She felt like she had failed in someway to not sale what was rightfully a artifact of great importance. And soon they were all going to have to run for double jobs. The condo was expensive and they also had to pay a few for flights in and out of the country and such. Lizzie could have phoned her parents long ago but she had never talked to them since she left at 18.  
  
Lizzie held the smooth amulet still in her grasp as she turned back from the bedside table and drew out from its drawer a ragged and dogeared picture. Looking at it Lizzie gave a rare pure smile. It was a picture at her graduation for high school, a few days before the Fight. Around her arms all decked in their navy blue graduation dresses were her two best friends of all time Marianda Sanchez and David 'Gordo' Gordon. They had been inseperable when she lived at home with her parents. They were often known as the 3 musketeers.  
  
Lizzie gave another smile as she traced over their two grinning faces. Marianda was surprised of them all to find that she was graduating. She thought she was going to fail, but Lizzie knew her best friend would make it. Both her parents were major scientists freaks. And Gordo. He had won some special scholarship and she remembered he couldn't have been happier. Next to her there was an obnixious little kid Lizzie remembered all to well.  
  
Matt had jumped into the picture in the last minute posing a thoughtful pose with Lanny his silent best friend who was doing a disco pose. Chuckling, she remembered how mad she was at him for just jumping into the perfect picture. But it made the picture more perfect with him with it.   
  
Of course though she would never admit that.   
  
Silently clutching to the smooth amulet she grinned and sat the picture back down on the side of the table. She really did miss the old days, before that. She wondered what Marianda and Gordo were up to now. She hadn't heard from them like she hadn't heard from her parents since that eventful day. A day she was scarred for life.   
But quietly in a voice barely of a whispered her thumb still going over the smooth surface of the she wished with all her heart and mind that she could go back without any scares or pains and just see her friends and family. She missed them so much. She just..... wanted them back again. Sure she loved Yeni, Alison, and Gabe but she could never replace Gordo and Marianda. And she hadn't heard any inscissent nagging from her mother, or any little fatherly cheesy jokes from her dad.   
  
She was willing to even have a Matt trick her with stuffing her jean pockets with shaving cream again.   
  
"Please, I love you all. I wish I can just make things all better" she whispered kissing the photo slightly in hopes to maybe reforge the bond she sad to admit had broke. Silently from beneath her grasp the amulet shook brightly and it flashed so fast that Lizzie hadn't seen or sensed a thing.   
  
Things were going to change.   
  
  
***  
  
The smell of sizziling bacon and the sound of cheerful laughter and happy noises was what Lizzie had woken up too.   
  
Well actually it was just the bacon.  
  
Lizzie was to dumped to eat any food so last night all she had eaten was about a handful or two of the big bowl of popcorn she made. Pushing the large satin sheets of the big bed aside half asleep she stuck her feet into her pink fuzzy slippers. Florida was a little chilly in the morning during the winter. She dragged herself out of the comfy mattress and her blonde hair a ratsnest and her eyes practically glued shut together.She was practically sleep walking when she came to the kitchen and Yeni, Gabe, and Alison all sat around the small kitchen table eating bacon , eggs, sausage, and other breakfast assortments.   
  
"Well good morning pretty" Gabe teased. He was a tall muscular blonde beach bum being as tan as Lizzie was his bright blonde hair in locks all over his skye blue eyes. Gabe was labeled a 'major hottie' so it wasn't their fault when Lizzie , Alison, and Yeni flirted shamelessly with him. Alison had got it into her crazy mind to   
hook Yeni and Gabe together, but Lizzie hadn't seen so many sparks quite yet. But it was still a possibilty.  
  
"Shut up" she rasped as she piled on the food into a plate as she pushed Gabe out of his seat and sa  
t down. Gabe jumped out before she could inflict anymore damage on his shoulder. She was known to be lethal in this state of sleepiness. "You could say please" he taunted in a deep voice as he threw his plate into the sink. Yeni rolled her eyes but a smile curled up anyway. Alison watched this with an interest look and flashed it to Lizzie who was all to interested into her food to notice anything.  
  
"So Liz you ok?" Alison said after she failed her third time to make eye contact with her close friend. Lizzie looked up slowly coming from her daze cloggy way and knodded. "Yeah, I'm better. The necklace is pretty. I think I'll keep it for myself" she shurgged as she stuffed a full greasy sausage into her mouth. Alison watched this for a moment and shook her head. "Alrighty then" Yeni and Gabe were chatting around as they washed their own dishes and put it in the drainer when the phone rang. The ringing was harsh in Lizzie's ear and she winced as it rang a second time. "I got it!" Alison and Yeni yelled at the same time and after much squealing and laughing Alison held the phone truimphantly in her left hand.  
  
"Hello Carbone, Lansing, McGuire, Aldah residence how may I help you?" Alison giggled into the phone and smilied thoughtfully. Yeni gave her a daggered glare as she pulled herself from the couch. She was known to be a sore loser. Lizzie finally shoved down the last bit of an egg sadly and looked up as Alison suddenly lost her giggle and laughs. And that didn't happen to often.  
  
"What? Oh um...well sure...hold on a minute"   
  
She stood up with a glazed look as she stumbled from the couch and headed toward Lizzie holding the phone. 'Who is it?' Lizzie mouth as she took a phone and covered the mouthpiece with her palm pushing her fluffy bedhead away from her face. Alison starred for a moment then mouthed. 'Your mother'   
Lizzie felt herself froze suddenly. Her mom. Her mom was phoning her? Where in the world did she get this number...?! Her mother. Oh how much she missed her mom. Maybe she could talk to her. Listen to her. Its been so long.... seven years. Seven years without hearing her parents knowing knowlegable voices. Seven long and torturous years. Lizzie flashed a desperately look at Alison, who inturn gave her an encouraging glance and knodded. Silently Lizzie sighed and took her palm from the reciever.  
  
"H-H-Hello-o???"  
  
"Lizzie? Lizzie is that you?" the voice was staticky and hard to hear, but besides that Lizzie felt her eyes glaze over with tears. That voice. She use to hate the worried hopeful voice in middle school .Telling stories beyond stories. She was like her own personal physcatrist. Hormones. Lizzie gave a weak watery chuckle at the thought. "Yes, Yes its me" she whispered quietly back hurrying up hoping for another chance to hear her mother's voice. "Lizzie! Oh its so nice to hear your voice...Ive been searching so hard to find this number... how dear its wonderful....how have you been? Have you been doing well?"   
  
Of course her mother had to know if she was doing well out into the open world. She was her only daughter, a daughter who hadn't talked to her mom for seven long years. It was so like her. "I-I'm I am doing well" she stuttured losing her voice in shock and joy beyond all relief. Gabe and Yeni had left the room when Alison had gave them a pleading stare and Alison was across the table clutching to Lizzie's trembling hand. "Good.... Oh its a relief to know you alright dear... Oh I'm sorry I have to cut short. Oh honey I could talk to you forever...I'm so sorry about what happened... but I'm only allowed a few more minutes...I do have a reason to call" and her mom gave a small watery chuuckle alot like the one Lizzie made a few minutes ago. Lizzie gave a small smile from her heart. "I'm sorry too mom" she whispered quietly biting her lip trying to make it stop trembling. "Oh dear... your starting to static.. let me make this quick... Your brother is engaged!!! Yes Matt's getting married... and dear oh dear we would love to have you at the wedding, please will you come back to see your brother and your dad and me? Please come home Lizzie we miss you so much..." and soon her mom was breaking down roughly into soft sobs. Lizzie tried her hardest but allowed herself one bubbly sob.   
  
Matt was getting married. What a surprise. She didn't know any girl that would stand him long enough to fall in love with him. "Yes" she whispered quietly. "I'll come home. I'll come home"  
  
  
A/N: MUWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! *cough*   
This actually took some while.   
Wondering what happened to Lizzie and her family and friends?  
And what about that amulet thingie??? Is this all going to work out???  
Is that a metoerite coming to destory the earth????  
  
Well ur just going to have to find out in the next eppie ^.^ Oh I just luv suspense.  
  
~MerlinsApprentince 


	2. Part 2

The Wish  
  
***  
  
Chapter 2  
  
A/N: Thanks for the reviews. Makes me feel special ^.^ Great way to boost ones self  
esteem.... Don't have much of that but I's okey doke. Heres the next part....  
  
***  
  
"I can't do this I can't do this I can't do this" Lizzie mumbled as she flopped onto the large  
bed as Alison piled clothes into suitcases. "Lizzie! You can too do this...." she exclaimed throwing a pair of shoes into the pile watching her best friend in a exhausted flop. Lizzie looked completely stressed out in her blue robe one shoe on one shoe off her hair half up make up hardly all the way on and she was having such a hard time. "It's just your parents"   
  
"And my brother, and my friends, and all my old fellow students, and Hillridge and come on Alison!!!" Lizzie exclaimed jumping up her nerves shocked and racked and everything. "So?" Alison fought back handing Lizzie a pair of jeans a simple white shirt and her favorite jean jacket with a star sewed in on the pocket. "You will be fine. Everything will be fine. Me and Gabe are going with you. We'll.... We'll be your emotional bodyguards ok???"   
  
"Promise?" Lizzie mummured childishly looking at the old carpet on the floor. Alison laughed. "Yes Lizzie. I promise. Now can we go? We'll miss the flight!!!" and shoved the clothes into Lizzie's arms and closed her best friend's suitcase. "Me and Gabe we'll be in the car waiting alright?" she insisted pulling out a pale of purple sunglasses and headed outside. Lizzie sighed blowing a blonde tendril away from her face. She was going to do this. She could do this. And nothing would stop her.  
  
***  
  
The plane was already slowing down. It had been only been a few hours until Lizzie was going to be on her destination. Silently she fiddled with her labtop decorated with stickers and little sayings. Opening it, closing it, even at one put ripped of a sticker, her favorite one too.  
  
The man next to Lizzie watched her carefully and chuckled. "First time flying?" he asked her slowly a small grin on his face. Lizzie stopped and turned flashing a small twitchy smile. "No actually I'm a Archeologist .... we live on planes" she teased as she silently opened back her labtop and tapped some keys. He grinned.  
  
"Well I know it isnt much of my business but why are you so nervous then?"   
  
Lizzie frowned giving a silly smile. "Nervous? Who me? I'm not nervous...." The man raised a eyebrow in disbelief. Lizzie sighed shaking her blonde tnedrils. "Yeah, I guess you could say I'm a bit nervous" she chuckled forcefully and stopped going back to fiddling with something, which was now the fringe of her shirt.   
"I'm going to see my family after a couple of years and I'm a little nervous because we kinda had a big incident and I'm so worried to see them..." she admitted slowly with a soft look.  
  
The man knodded quietly. It made better sense now. "What happened?" he asked feeling a bit noisy but he was like that.  
  
"I'd rather not talk about it and think it hasn't happened at all" she admitted quietly giving a small smile in apology. The man shook his blonde head. "Oh dont worry about it. I should stop sneaking my big nose in other peoples business anyways" he admitted too, with a shy grin. Lizzie laughed quietly and took a deep breath.  
  
"So where are you headed?"  
  
"Oh back home. Hillridge, you've probably haven't heard of it----"   
  
Lizzie starred for a moment. "Your joking" she muttured shaking her head in slight confusion and shock. The man frowned fixing his glasses and put them back on the bridge of his nose. "Um no... I'm pretty sure I live there" he said slowly knodding his head in his own confusion.  
  
"Thats where I'm going!!!"  
  
"No way now your joking" he teased pretty amazed at the luck that they were both heading to the same small town in nowheresville. Lizzie shook her head laughing, shaking off a bit of the nervousness that was eating her away. "I'm Elizabeth Mcguire but you can call me Lizzie" she said introducing herself. The man knodded. "Well its nice to meet you Lizzie I'm Danny Pheonix" he said shaking the hand she held out.  
  
"And what business do you have in Hillridge?" Lizzie asked with a friendly tone. Danny laughed shaking his head. "None at all, thank god" Lizzie watched a bit confused. Danny shurgged notioning to his businesss suit and tie and such. "I'm a excutive for a big business investied from my hometown in New York. From time to time I have to go up their for a day or two to work. I live with my family down in Hillridge most of the time though"   
  
"How old are you? Don't mind me asking but you long really young to be doing something like that" Lizzie teased but yet she knew it was true. He looked like he was at the ripe age of 20 with his childish smile big round blue eyes the glasses and his blonde hair and stubble from not having a clean shave from quite some time. "Wow I'm flattered but actually I'm 30" he said with a slight smile but with a merry twinkle in his eye. "And you already have a family you lucky dog" she teased happy to have a friend on board.   
  
Alison and Gabe had to go on the other plane because a ticket mess up and there was only one seat left instead of three. They were taking a different plane to Hillridge and now she was all alone in this big plane with no one else now except Danny. She was more then glad for the company.  
  
"Yeah a amazing wife and 2 kids" he said with a proud tone, and Lizzie could tell he was resisting to pull out his wallet and display his pictures like any old man would. But this time Lizzie didn't mind and she brought out the question herself. "Got any pictures I would love to see them" In no less then a heart beat his hand was in his pocket to reveal a neat leather wallet and he pulled out a few small wallet sized photos.   
  
Lizzie took them and flipped through them Danny over his shoulder. Lizzie saw a little girl with black curls surrounding her cheerful face and sprankling blue eyes. She looked three or four in the picture. "Thats Anya" Danny explained from behind her shoulder. "She's six now and the most annoying thing on earth" he said with a affectionate tone and a proud smile.   
  
Lizzie grinned. The girl was adorable. She looked so familiar but Lizzie couldn't place her face with anybody she knew. She flipped through the pictures with a little bit of commentary from Danny until she came to a new one. It was a small boy with the same blonde hair and blue eyes as Danny. "Ah thats Miles." Danny said with a small puff of laughter. "He's three now, the little daredevil he is" Lizzie chuckled when she came to the next picture which was Miles trying desperately to jump off the bunkbed.   
  
Flipping through them once more Lizzie frowned. "I dont see any of your wife" she said looking in the cracks of the picture for a sign. Danny snorted. "She won't let me carry any pictures of her. She thinks they make her look fat" he teased raising his eyebrows. "Everytime we get new wallet photos she hides them from me and I never see them again"  
  
Lizzie laughed as she handed him back the photos. "Its a shame. I would have liked to see her too" she said with a quiet smile. Danny shurgged. "Well we live in the small same town. We'll run across one another some time. Just come by anytime" he said with a pleasent smile and Lizzie knodded with a grin. Lizzie had made another friend to replace the ones she lost.  
  
  
Finally Lizzie sensed the plane faltar and she clutched the armrests in her grasp. Danny eyed her with amusement. "Are you sure your ok with flying?" he asked looking at ease with the landing as the airplane shook just a bit. Lizzie frowned rolling her eyes at the man who looked like all he was doing was sitting. The truth Lizzie had never gotten use to the landing or take off part of the flying. All those warnings and seatbelts and naeusating flight attentendents with the perfect smile drove her crazy.   
  
That was only part of the nervousness though. This was the closest she had ever been to her parents since that night and all she was doing was just getting closer. She could imagine everything now. Her mom's soft lavender shampoo. Her dad's smelly cologne. The nasty smell of all that gel her brother used. All of it was coming back to her and something in Lizzie wanted to keep all these memories excatly where they were. She had a perfect life, why ruin it now with the messy family business?  
  
But Lizzie never listened to that voice.  
  
Finally the plane was finished shaking and it went for the smooth landing strip, landing with such ease that Lizzie's own grip relaxed on the arm seats. Danny just raised an eyebrow as he unbuckled his seatbelt and the ride was done. "Well Lizzie ready for it?" he asked her a note of cocern in the eyes behind the glasses. He had known the girl for only a little bit but he felt he should help her in someway, she looked so helpless in the small plane seat.   
  
Lizzie sighed taking the small labtop and her tiny bag from the top counters. "I'm as ready as I'll ever be" she mummured quietly clutching the bag to her chest and put the decorative labtop in side. Danny raised his eyebrows. "I'll come along with you for awhile if you want" he suggested with a friendly smile. "No ones coming to pick you up?" she asked softly as she followed the mob of people heading off the plane. "Nah" Danny shurgged his lean shoulders. "My family's use to it. I just leave a car here until I get back" he explained with a smart smile as they finally trescended down the stairs.  
  
Lizzie starred at the open wide air, and the soft clouds. Looking around she noticied the Hillridge airport hadn't changed at all. From the time she left in a rage and a tearstained face and the time she is coming back with butterflies in her stomach the only thing Lizzie could tell the difference was that they had repainted it with different theme colors. Instead of green and white, it was now burgundy and white. Silently she trailed down the steps a small supreme grin on her face.  
  
Danny looked at her pushing her forward with a small encouraging smile. After they went through the line and to make sure everything was okey they were inside they airport, People were flooding in and out back and forth inbetween everything. It was a big mob of people and Lizzie wasn't sure she wasn't going to find anybody. Silently the butterflies flapping harder in her stomach she turned around searching for the people she had been longing to see since she had left them, even though she would have never admitted it at the time.  
  
"Danny I don't see them anywhere" she whined standing upon her tiptoes searching the crowds of people for anybody slightly familiar.   
  
Danny chuckled quietly looking east. "You have a recieving party Lizzie" he teased knodding his head toward the direction and Lizzie without any heistation turned instantly toward it and her eyes glazed with the small sight.   
  
On a pair of plastic old seats sat a middle aged woman, who looked at least 40 or 50, her slight blonde gray hair in a ponytail the glasses on the bridge of her nose her blue eyes identical to Lizzie's wearing a small dress and a jacket holding on desperately to her purse. She was standing nervously next to an man the same excat age or older then her with salt and pepper hair and glasses on his shoulders a small girl with white blonde hair in two braids and ivory skin holding a sign that clearly read Lizzie Mcguire. Next to the family was a man who looked 19 or so in sophiscated clothing but a sign of immaturity with baggy jeans, at his side a young woman with pale red hair and regular clothes holding to his hand. Starring at them Lizzie felt a bubble burst in her full of excitement and happiness flooding into her eyes filling suddenly forgetting anything that happened just what the future was holding for her and how happy she was.  
  
"Danny..." she muttured her voice thick with tears that were unshed. Turning around suddenly she saw empty space. Danny had left. Lizzie smilied. And she knew it was for the best. She needed to do this encounter by herself.   
  
Finally she pushed aside the people who gathered and quietly walked up to the people , now only a few steps close to them. They were searching through the mobs of people looking for someone who looked distinctly like her. Lizzie hadn't noticed she changed so much. "Hello?" she squeaked toward the group suddenly covering her mouth in shock at her voice.   
  
Quietly clearing it she tried again finally catching the family's attention. "Hello?" she whispered clutching quietly to the bag.   
  
Her mom turned around sharply at the small whisper of attention and her eyes roamed over Lizzie. Watching her with a careful eye her face instantly turned into a grin and she asked daring to hope "Lizzie?" Lizzie knodded shurgging as she held onto the small backpack as if for dear life. "Hi Mom" she muttured her voice thick, and Her mother gasped and without another word the two inclosed the gap that was between them, and hugged, pulling each other as close as they possibly could.  
  
"Hi Lizzie" her mom whispered into her eye, tears streaming down her pale drawn face. Pulling her back, Jo had a good luck at her daughter. It was all a surprise. The short cropped blonde hair, the brilliant tan, the lean healthy body, and the good lucks. Her daughter was beautiful beyond comprehension. "Look at you" she laughed heartily pushing the tears away from her cheeks. "You've certainly.... changed"  
  
Lizzie choked, laughing through her own tears, which finally escaped, despite her desperate squelch to keep them back. "I've changed. Mom look at you!" Standing back she got a better look at her mother. She didn't look at older then when Lizzie last saw her 6 years, except her blonde hair had more strands of silver and she looked more thin then she last remembered. "You look... stunning" she giggled again, all her nerves lost and forgotten, trying desperately to keep her cool, and not jump around in frantic excitement.   
  
"Daddy" Lizzie smilied advancing to her father, Sam, who was convientatly right next to Jo. "Hey Munchkin" he stated affectionately not one bit sarcastic tone in his voice, like he used when she was little, just to annoy her. Dropping the small child off his shoulders he grabbed her in a big bear hug, realizing how much he had missed his only daughter, and despite his manly concept he let one solitary tear fall.  
  
Lizzie held him tightly, looking at him. He hadn't changed much ethier. He still had the cocky smile, and pride face. His hair was black spotted with white and Lizzie saw know instead of thin and flimsy like her mother, he was all brawn and muscle. "You've been working out" she teased quietly trying to hold back a fresh batch of tears. Seeing her parents brought back wonderful memories and seeing them again, just being with them, was all she could ever ask for.  
  
"Yeah, a little Teabo" Sam teased hugging her close again kissing her lighlty on the cheek. The little girl watched still holding the sign that had Lizzie's name on it. "Who's this?" Lizzie asked her arm still wrapped around her dad. "I'm Alice" the little girl introduced holding out a small hand for Lizzie to shake. Sam smilied down at her. Seeing the Lizzie and Alice together her slightly saw the comparison. "Alice is our next door neighbor" he explained slowly with a small twinkle in his eye.  
  
"Yes I am" Alice said with a small her voice holding a hint of a british accent. "She's been dieing to met you" Jo added coming over and giving Alice a tickle on her back. Alice giggled playfully and smilied. "Mrs.Jo and Mr.Sam has said lots and lots about you, Ms.Lizzie" she stated proudly with a huge grin flashing a bright smile.  
  
Lizzie chuuckled at the innocence and finally turned around to her last visitor. "Matt?" she whispered laughing in shock at what she saw. When Matt was younger, she had the clear vision that he was going to be one of those slackers at school , you know, the ones with the greasy hair, the pants that hung just below your butt, who thought it was cool to run into a wall, when he was all grown up. But when she turned around she saw something completely different from what she imagined.  
  
Matt stood up wearing a white shirt with a collar a loose tie around his neck, his hair bleached blonde, a pair of hornrimmed glasses alot like Sam's on his face. He didn't wear work pants, but a loose pair of jeans, and a par of loafers. "Matt?" Lizzie asked again still shocked at the vision of her little pest of a brother. "Hey Liz" he grinned softly looking over her. "Wow... you look great"  
  
Lizzie gaped. "You too..." she mumbled and pulled him into a hug despite his very uuncomfortable posture. "And who might this be?" Lizzie said a little teasing note in her voice, just like she would do when she was kid, when she certainly at the advantage at something. A small young woman with soft red locks and a friendly face came up holding her hand. "Lizzie this is Charlotte, my fiancee" Matt said formerly a proud smile on his face.  
  
"This is a first... I really expected I would be married first" Lizzie teased shaking the woman's hand. Cameron laughed, hardly a sign of nervousness on her. "I am glad to met you Lizzie. Just call me Cammie" she said a slight New York accent, but that didn't disturb Lizzie at all. At first sight, in her mind, she had declared Cammie a fine woman and without a doubt a perfect match for her brat brother who certainly needed someone to watch over her. "It's nice to meet you too" Lizzie sighed truthfully.  
  
Finally when the confrontation was done, Lizzie retreated back to her mother's arms. Wrapping her arms around Jo's thin waist, Jo put her arm around her shoulders sqeeuzing them comfortably. "You really do look wonderful dear" she stated with a sweet smile as the finally completed family headed off. They were all delighted to have Lizzie back in thier life, all horrid signs and bad words forgotten. "You too" Lizzie whispered as they headed to get Lizzie's suitcases.  
  
  
Lizzie starred as they drove through Hillridge chatting happily. The place had changed but yet was still the same in many ways. The mall was still where it was, but where the Fashion Shack was their was a Dairy Queen and it was all turned around. They drove by, and Lizzie to her delight saw the Digitail Bean was still intact and in business a bunch of young middle school and highschool kids seen from the window. They even drove past the old school and Lizzie grinned with a wild memory laughing.   
  
Finally they pulled to their house. Lizzie's house. Lizzie looked from the front window her eyes scanning every bit of it. It hadn't changed a bit. She had remembered it so well, seeing it in her dreams every night. The bright cheery windows, the welcoming porch, the two story house just glowing happily in the summer sun. Even the little things were their. Lizzie saw the large scarth in the wood on the side of the house, when Lizzie was 16 and trying to drive ran into it. A big hole on the other side cleverly hidden but could still be sign from when Matt and Lanny had found out how to make rocket ships, and even a bit of paint for when Lizzie decided she wanted to be a artiste.  
  
"Welcome Home" she whispered to herself as she pulled open the door and headed outside.   
  
***  
  
  
Heh Second Chapter ^.^ I think its turning out interesting. What in the world is going to happen next? And wheres Miranda and Gordo? Check it out next time.  
  
Thank you and Have a Nice Day.  
  
~MerlinsApprentince 


	3. Part 3

The Wish   
  
***  
  
Chapter 3  
  
  
A/N: WHOOHOO! Chapter 3, Chapter 3 *does a little jig*  
Oooooh warning. I have decided upon some pair changes due to some changes in the plot. First in the story it will be E/L but then it will drasticly change to L/G. Then M/C, to another drastic change M/M. And then for Miranda, it's M/D through out the whole series. Can any one guess who D stands for? ^.^ And then um.... Ah yes A bit of G/ And a OC character who will be introduced very nicely tehehehehehehehehehehehehe. Muwhahahahahahahahahahahaahahaha *cough*  
  
Oh and yes their is quite a good reason Kate isn't in here... but you'll just have to wait...   
  
I know, I am so evil.  
***  
  
"Look at this place!!!" Lizzie laughed as she pulled her many bags from the back of the jeep they had. Jo grinned delighted at seeing her daughter delighted. Sam shurgged looking at it. "Yeah? It looks the same to me" he teased grinning. Lizzie shook her head her short wavy locks bouncing with her emphasizm. "No its changed" she giggled jumping up the steps her giddiness beyond control at this point.   
  
It was wonderful, just the place she hoped to live in when she was all grown up. She never really understood why she ever ran away. Waiting for her mom to open the door, Lizzie looked around at the outside for more changes. She noticed the porch was more larger then she remembered with now a porch swing, and the garden that was just weeds and grass, was now blooming with majestic flowers and other assorted plants Lizzie couldn't quite name.   
  
"Oy be careful" Matt warned looking through the window, and Cammie giggled. Lizzie frowned. "What?" she asked quietly. Her dad looked like he was bracing himself and her mom was hiding behind the door. Suddenly a loud rough knock came from the door.  
  
"Ack!" Lizzie squealed starring at it. "Don't worry, Sweetie, Their harmless" Jo insisted with a soft smile turning the doorknob. "They? Who's they?" Lizzie asked quickly looking confused dancing from face to face. "Flim, Ace, and Curly!" Alice giggled as Jo opened the door and Lizzie was pummeled by 3 enormous things.  
  
Dogs. Well, it seems her parents were animal lovers deep down. "Oh nooo!" Lizzie whined feeling them like just about every part of her body their wet noses touching her warm skin. "Stop it Stop it guys!" Jo ordered the three huge dogs who found Lizzie the most interesting thing in the world.  
  
"Mom!" Lizzie cried looking up from the ground from where the dogs had clearly shoved her. They all grinned down at her. One was a humongous Great Dane, white dotted with huge black spots. He looked friendly enough even smiling down at Lizzie his long tail wagging. She tried desperately to ignore the height (which was sitting the same, and Lizzie was often considered tall) of him and grinned uneasily.  
  
"That's Flim!" Alice said. With Flim sitting down Alice was the excat height of him. "And this is Ace!" Next to Flim was a huge German Shephard with huge chocolate brown eyes, his tongue out in such a friendly manner, Lizzie couldn't help but grinned. "And finally Curly" Lizzie was shocked to find she had to look down to see this dog. Lizzie hadn't a idea what kinda of breed it was, but she knew she called them the footstool dogs. He sat beaming up at her his wide long body shaking with anticiptation.   
  
Lizzie shook her head standing up ungracefully, picking up her bags the dogs were now examining. "Their ... ah... quite... a diversity aren't they?" Lizzie chuckled uncertainly at the trail of 3 following her. In all truth, Lizzie didn't like animals. She could settle with fish and hamsters and such, but she wasn't a fan of cats, dogs, or fish.   
Jo laughed. "Your dad works at the animal society sometimes downtown and sometimes he just can't resist" she teased at Sam. It was easy to tell that he was the dog's favorite, because even with a guest, they sometimes came to his heel.   
  
Matt sighed shaking his head. "You really don't have to tell me" he stated shaking his head a little hint of disgust on his face. Lizzie laughed and quietly looked at her surroundings.  
  
All and all it was the most wonderful sight, besides her family, she had ever seen. Almost everything was the same, except a few things were moved. A few couches and chairs, a new tv, just a little odds and ends Lizzie had never seen, but all and all there wasn't any major changes since she was last here. She still couldn't help but be in awe though. "Wow, I forgot... how beautiful this place was" Lizzie marveled heading down the hallway, and taking the short cut into the kitchen, walking around the island in the middle, and then procedded past the large wooden kitchen table her family had dinner on in old times. The living room was still the same, the firing place lighted cheerfully despite the fact it wasn't all that chilly, the mantle embellished with pictures.  
  
Jo smilied shaking her head, dropping her purse and keys on the island. "It hasn't changed that much has it?" she asked herself grinning. Lizzie knodded not able to hold in her smile. "Hardly at all" she insisted, dropping her stuff. Sam grinned as Alice watched Lizzie with a interested glance. "Well, your room's just the way you left it. We haven't touched a thing" Jo stated quietly grinning as she took out a pan from the fridge.   
  
"Ha, you guys didn't touch a thing" Matt objected coming over and stealing a apple from the bowl of fruit, as Cammie sat down on one of the chairs. "I still can't find that diary you started at highschool..." Lizzie chuckled not at all mad at the concept. It was so Matt. She couldn't have been happier to hear that. "Thats because I've burned all my diaries and journals" she informed with a teasing glint in her pale blue eyes.  
  
Matt knodded. "Fair enough" he stated as he headed up stairs, Lizzie following eager to see the upstair rooms. Cammie sat down at the island with the 2 parents setting up her own lunch, a nice sandwhich before she had to head back to work.   
  
Lizzie starred at the hallway. A bit of it changed. Like the pictures.  
  
She starred at each one long and hard. 4 of them were the ones that always stayed up their no matter what. 2 of them were Matt's and Lizzie's baby pictures, the shots they got at the hospital an hour after they were born. Those were framed and forever kept in the Mcguire line. The next one was one of Lizzie on her first day of school, standing proudly showing of her new barbie lunchbox. Lizzie laughed. She remembered that day. She was so proud to be going to kindergarden. She then winced. That day Matt had put his pet lizard Sid in her backpack.   
  
The next picture was of Matt on his first day of school. These pictures were kept forever. There was pictures of her parents when they were born and their first day of school, and also one of their grandparents, and great grandparents. It was a tradition. All Mcguire children kept their hospital photos and first day pictures.  
  
The rest of them hanging on the wall were foreign to her. There was one with Sam, with some guy Lizzie hardly recongized shaking hands and having a drink. Their was one with Jo and Alice, with what looked like Alice's parents, in front of their house. Their was Matt and Cammie. And at the end was the one of Lizzie's graduation picture.  
  
Lizzie stopped at starred at that one for a long time. The picture was taken the year it had happened. Only just a few months before. Lizzie recalled it, tracing her finger over her image. Over her drawn rosy cheeks, her glittering sapphire eyes, over the long curling hair she and her best bud Miranda had done up the day earlier. Senior Pictures were very big in Hillridge High. You needed one of those to become what Lizzie wanted to be so bad.  
  
A Popular One.   
  
She shook her head, bringing the thought away from her mind. She wasn't going to think of that. Not right now. She teared her eyes away from the picture and saw Matt also looking at it. He looked so different when he wasn't his playful teasing self. He crossed his arms and gave a melancholy look at Lizzie. "Mom and Dad debated alot about that" he whispered grinning a bit. "After you left, they wanted a picture of you that would at least live them a reminder that you were still living. Mom thought you looked too spiffed up, but Dad said you looked perfect" he chuckled quietly remembering the scene.   
  
Lizzie looked at the carpet as she sighed. "So is everything where it use to be?" she asked quielty desperatly wanting to shake away the depression and change the subject. Matt shurgged shaking himself out of the stage the picture put him in. "Uh, not really. Your room's the only thing that hasn't changed" he admitted. "We changed rooms. Mom and Dad sleep in my old room, and their old room is a guest room"  
  
Lizzie starred at him. "You don't live here with them?" she asked quietly. Matt shook his head pushing his thin glasses back up on his nose. "No actually we dont. Me and Cammie have a apartment not far from her though" he explained cracking his knuckles. "We would live her, but Cam's work is so far away from here" Lizzie knodded pushing open Matt's old room door to see her parent's messy but familiar room.   
  
She grinned quietly. She couldn't believe just seeing a bedroom could bring so many memories. "They still don't know how to keep a clean room" she whispered silently closing it behind her. Matt bounced on the balls of his feet as Lizzie headed to her door which was to her amazement the same as she left it. She had sketched her name 'Lizzie's Room' and posters of all her favorite popstars and photos of her and her friends all stuck their happily. "When you guys mean you left it as it was you left it as it was" she mummured quietly as she looked at the doorknob to see her stuffed monkey she bought during the school field trip hanging their as she had left him.  
  
Matt watched it with a odd sad smile. "Mom keeps it clean from dust everynow and then" Lizzie turned toward him and grinned. That sounded so much like her too. But she was dancing around the subject. Why couldn't she get into the room?   
  
Lizzie knew why she couldnt. She thought her parent's room brought a tiny wave of memories, seeing her room and everything in it was going to bring a tsunami of them. All the control she had mustured would crack and ethier she would go insane or cry her eyes out. She wanted to go in there so much at the same time, as not wanting to go in their. How had she left it? Was all her cds still there? Her radio? Her photos? Her stuffed animals? Was it just like she had gotten back from a hard day of senior exams?  
  
Quietly without much further ado Lizzie found herself turning the doorknob. Her mind was screaming nooooo, she couldn't take the pressure the squeeze anymore. Her heart on the other hand was beating like a race car engine leaning forward eagerly waiting for everything it would encounter on the emotional journey. As she pushed open the pink door the first thing Lizzie acknowledged was the small.  
  
Vanilla and Coconut.   
  
Just the smell brought freakin tears to her eyes. It was the scent she and Miranda always bought for their shampoo and perfume and just everything that smelled. Miranda was coconut, and Lizzie was the vanilla. But Lizzie had banned vanilla and coconut from her senses since the day she left. She was so angry she never wanted to smell nethier of them again and threw all of it away, and bought old crappy shampoo that hadn't a smell. Soon enough her anger withered and she just plain didn't want to smell it because she would get so homesick she would throw up.  
  
She remember the time Alison had brought Vanilla shampoo home. Lizzie was in the bathroom the whole night.   
  
Lizzie opened her eyes dropping what was left of the bags she was carrying at the doorway of her room, yes HER room, and starred.   
  
Her bed was unmade, as it always was, before she left for school, the lavender and green sheets sprawled around and her old baby blankie thrown to the side. Their was her favorite goose pillows with her favorite pillow cases and next to it was the home made one she and Miranda both made each. Hanging awkwardly off of it was the tye dye blanket she and Gordo had made on their first weekend of middle school. The stuffed animals Lizzie had cared for so much during her childhood where squished in their 'home', a broken down wastebasket, in the corner. Snuggley Bear. Boo Boo Barney. Sandy and Isabella the expensive porcelian dolls she broke on the first day she had got them.  
  
Her desk was decorted with pictures and little things from magazines as was the mirror she had in the corner. Paper was everywhere as where her shoes and even some of the clothes she had worn during those days. All her jewelry was piled in the corner, as was her many collection of hair assocories. Posters decorated the room, with Avril Lavigne, Michelle Branch, and Linkin Park.   
  
Everything was just the same.  
  
Lizzie felt the tears fall, before she even acknowledged that she was crying. Silently she dropped everything and headed toward the big empty room where the bright rug she had begged her parents to buy her for her graduation layed. She stepped over everything looking at all the shoes she collected and her old backpack one for every year she went to school layed in their usual corner. She let her fingers runn against the old wooden oak hardly any dust receding in it looking at the papers sprawled upon it. Notes she Gordo and Miranda had exchanged during Chemistry, and her old Slam Notebooks.  
  
It was just like that.... She had come home and came to this home. It was like she wasn't even gone for 6 whole years. It was like she just came home from a hard day in highschool. Lizzie sobbed quietly covering her face. And it was her fault she left, everything was her fault, all of it. The fight, her family's heartaches, her friends heartaches. And she hadn't even seen them yet.  
  
Quietly Lizzie collasped onto her bed, once again, shedding tears that she hadn't shed in a long long time.   
  
***  
  
Lizzie sat down in her bed curled up watching the small mini television that she had brought along with her on her small little coffee table. Flim, Ace, and Curly were all on her bed lounging about on Lizzie's feet. Lizzie chuckled as Flim snored loudly rolling onto his big back revealing his big belly. Maybe the dogs weren't as bad as she thought.  
  
A tiny knock came to her door. Lizzie frowned silently shutting off her TV. After her breakdown, she relaxed until dinnertime and then came back to her room sorting through everything. All the stuff she kept safe. Her yearbooks, notes, slam books, just everything, she went through all of it. She recalled and remember stuff she scurnched way into the back of her brain. Like the time She, Gordo and Miranda went and for NJHS hours worked as little elf's for Santa Clause, or her big crush Ethan Crafte, and her first kiss with the Newspaper boy who's name she didn't even remember....   
  
"Come in" she called in quietly putting her robe on over her big shirt as she curled into the dogs warm body heat. Jo peeked her face through the crack of the door her smile large and big despite the concern. "It's great to her your voice again" she admitted quietly as she came in. Lizzie laughed quietly hugging herself. "I was just thinking the same thing" the young woman said starring up at her mother. How she has missed her when she lived in Florida and was all around the world.  
  
Jo shurgged quietly pulling her own robe around her. "Well, we haven't gotten around to having a little chat, so I decided to come up and see you" she shrugged looking around the room and fixing a few un neat stuff. Lizzie grinned. She would have been more then happy to here her mom rattle on about anything. She shoved Ace over making room for her mother. "Please" she informed. "Sit"  
  
Jo smilied happy to be accepted. She remembered how afriad she was that Lizzie wasn't going to come down, just for Matt's wedding Jo just wanted to see her only daughter so badly. Alice was like another Lizzie in the house and that just made the old woman more sick for her. Quietly she pulled herself up next to Lizzie beaming down at her daughter.  
  
"So. Tell me everything. Job, life, friends, boyfriends, everything" her mother insisted.  
  
Lizzie grinned. She heard that voice in her dreams all the time, and she was grinning like a maniac when she heard her mom repeat that. "Everything, but mom that could take all night" she teased leaning against her shoulder breathing in the familiar scent of leavender.   
  
Jo grinned down at her hugging her shoulder. "Well we have all the time in the world. Now spit it out" Lizzie laughed trying hard once again not to cry, she was just so happy. "Well... lesse...I'm an Archeologist" she started off with a proud grin. Jo's thin eyebrows raised in surprise. "A Archeologist? Wow!" she smilied playing with Lizzie's short wavy hair.  
  
"Yeah, its a great job. I've been to just about every country except Antartica, because well theres no artifacts down there... And I live in Florida when most of the time I'm not traveling" Jo listened interested. "Florida? Wow, that sounds great. Sunshine and everything"  
  
Its nothing compared to Hillridge Lizzie thought silently with a inward grin. "And I have to great friends Gabe and Alison, which are coming in 2 days because of flight problems" Jo smilied silently a bit confused. 2 new friends? Miranda and Gordo though? "Well I'm sure they will be great honey" she encouraged softly starring at her older daughter. Lizzie knodded grinning. "They are great.They've helped me alot" she insisted curling up.   
  
"And your love life?" Jo asked. She couldn't help it. She was curious. Lizzie laughed outwardly. "Nothing much yet. I've dated here and there. Nothing serious" she informed quietly. Jo knodded. So her daughter's love life sucked. She could over look that. "Well, I also just wanted to ask if you wanted to go down to the mall tommrrow and do a little girl to girl shopping before we go and find Miranda and Gordo and your other friends"  
  
Lizzie frowned softly. She had gotten over one obstacle course and now she had to go through another. "Do I... Do I have to see them?" she mummured childishly. Jo frowned. "I thought you would want to see your two best friends...." she questioned out loud. Lizzie sighed. "I do. Its just going to be hard. I haven't seen them for 6 years and I left in such a hurry... I didn't have much of a time to say goodbye. . . .I just think that it would be easier if I didn't see them at all...."  
  
Jo sighed looking down at her. "Well.... you don't have to see them now" she informed helpfully. "You could want a week or so. Matt's wedding isn't until 3 weeks. You have plenty of time to make up your mind" Lizzie knodded. Her voice of reason was back. She didn't know how she survived without her mother in the last couple of years. It was a miracle she hadn't ruined her life.   
  
"I'm glad I came back. It was a mistake to go" Lizzie whispered hugging her mother tightly around the waist laying her head in her lap like a little child would have. Actually alot like Alice did recently. Jo grinned quietly feeling tears thicken in her eyes. She couldn't say it wasn't a mistake, because it was. Lizzie wasn't ready for the real world. Everything had come to a shock to her. But Jo knew one thing though.   
  
"I missed you too , baby"  
  
***  
  
Lizzie laughed quietly as the dogs tackled her father down to the ground. "Ack hey you... off! Come on now!! Behave!!!" Sam cried as they buried him with loves and kisses Flim practiaclly suffocating him. "Morning Dad" Lizzie laughed again as she walked over the big pile of human and animals.  
  
The next morning was bright and beautiful. When Lizzie woke up she though the whole day was a dream. Everything just reminded her so much of the dreams she had in Florida when she had missed them so much. But it wasn't a dream.  
  
It was reality.  
  
And reality couldn't have gotten any better.  
  
Which put Lizzie into the best mood she had ever been. And that was a first. Lizzie never had such a great sunny mood. She sang in the shower. She opened all the windows in the house. She made breakfast. She picked flowers and placed them everywhere. She starred at everything in a dazy humongus grin. Lizzie was home after all.  
  
"Morning Sweetheart" Sam replied smoothing trying desperatley to pull himself from the ground. "Do I smell bacon?" Lizzie grinned flipping the sizzling hot meat on the pan. "Yes you do" she indicated taking the greasy delicious breakfast food from the pan and putting it carefully on a plate. Sam grinned. It was great to wake up to see his daughter once again.  
  
It was even better to wake up to see his daughter WITH bacon.   
  
"Well then I'll have some of that and whatever else your cooking up over there" he insisted with a cheerful grin plucking a piece of the greasy meat into his mouth. Lizzie scowled him with the fork she was using but she couldn't even keep a striaght frown. The backdoor opened and Alice, now her blonde hair in 2 childish braids and in a piar of overalls, came in sniffing. "BACON!!!" she cried happily coming over to Lizzie and decided she was her new best friend.  
  
Bacon can make people do crazy things.  
  
"Good Morning Alice" Lizzie smilied down at the girl and gave a puzzled frown to her dad who brushed it off happily chewing on eggs and other breakfast assortments. "She comes over alot during the mornings and afternoons and evenings and sometimes even sleeps over. She's just another part of the family who lives in a different house" Alice smilied holding a plate out ready for Lizzie to fill it up full of juicy delicious pig.   
  
Jo came down drowsy and sleepy to the amazing smell of deliicous sizzling food. No more oatmeal? Willing her crusty eyes to open she saw her daughter dressed up in a fresh pair of jeans a plain light yellow shirt covered back her apron wearing a light yellow head band with her shoulder length glistening blonde hair. The first thing that came to her puzzled mind was when did her daughter learn how to cook?  
  
"Breakfast?" Jo croaked sleepily wandering over to Lizzie like the living dead. Lizzie choked back trying not to laugh. Her parents were quite a scene early in the morning. "Yes, mom" Lizzie said taking an empty plate and filled it up just for her. "Thanks" she mumbled as she blindly searched for an empty kitchen chair.  
  
Sam looked up from scarfing down the sunny side up eggs. "So what do you guys have planned for today?" he asked the two girls, and Alice looked up, knowing that whatever they were doing, Alice was going to do too. Jo smilied slowly wakening up with every bit of food.  
  
"Me and Lizzie are going to head down to the mall for some girl to girl time. Do you want to come Alice?" she asked the small 6 year old who was swinging her feet on the chair. Alice shurgged. "Sure, Ms.Jo" she stated happily sipping the orange juice Lizzie layed next to her plate.   
  
Lizzie grinned quietly. She really couldn't have been happier.  
  
  
***  
  
"Wow, look at this mall" Lizzie gaped quietly. Everything hadn't changed, except the mall. Everything was remodeled and it looked so much better. Lizzie looked at all the new wonderful stores and had to drag her mom and Alice into everyone of them. Coming back to Hillridge also brought back her amazing fashion sense she lost when she left it.  
  
"Mom look at these beautiful jeans!!!" Lizzie squealed looking at the glittery black jeans with little diamons shaped like stars all over the place.  
  
Jo grinned shaking her head. "We're window shopping dear" she reminded her. Already 5 times today Lizzie had forgotten that and pulled out her wallet. Alice laughed quietly eyeing the same pants with interest. Alice's parent's were quite strict, and Alice had always worn old school uniforms and very bland outfits. "Well, me and Alice both think these pants are awesome... Right Alice?" Lizzie counted to the small child as she looked for the price tag.  
  
Jo shook her head laughing. That was her daughter. Alice knodded in agreement shaking her blonde braids. Lizzie turned to her mom. "Come on Mum please pretty please???" Jo shook her head strict on one thought. "We'll get them later" she promised. "I really need to go and get something to eat before I pass out"  
  
Lizzie frowned starring at the old wristwatch she found in her jewlery box last night. It was a christmas gift from Ethan when she was a junior. "But you had breakfast only a few hours ago" she countered looking longingly at the jeans. Jo took Alice's small hand. "We had breakfast excatly 7 hours ago, and I'm hungry. No come on before I have to drag you" she stated fiercely but her eyes twinkled. Lizzie sighed took one long look at the pants and then followed Alice and her mother out of the store.  
  
"I will buy them though."  
  
Jo shurgged laughing. She saw the price tag. They were quite expensive for pants. "Whatever you say dear" she promised as she led Alice toward the sweet smelling food court. Lizzie laughed at her mom's sarcasm and shook her blonde hair. Suddenly as she shook her head she caught her eye on something she saw in the window, and it wasn't clothing.  
  
"Hey Mom, Um, go on ahead... I need to check something out" she muttured quietly as she left her mom's side. Jo frowned looking at Lizzie. Her voice was lost and confused again, like when she arrived at the airport. Alice watched her leave. "I like her Ms.Jo" she stated plainly as she skipped ahead. Jo grinned down at her still looking at where Lizzie disappeared. "Yes she's quite a show isn't she?"   
  
***  
  
  
Lizzie frowned as she turned the corner her purse banging against her hip. She headed toward the store and grinned as she confirmed on who she saw through the glass window.  
  
"Danny!" she cried waving her hand hurrying over toward the store, which happened to be the Gap. And she was right the man she had befriended on the plane to Hillridge stood in front of the store dressed in a sweatshirt a baseball cap and a pair of relaxed jeans, a stroller in his hand.  
  
Danny turned at his name, and grinned when he saw who was coming towards him. "Lizzie?" he asked grinning, all the specks of hair on his chin gone, after a good night's shave. "Wow this is a small world. I just saw you yesterday" he teased crossing his arms.  
  
Lizzie laughed crossing her arms. "It is. I didn't expect to see you so soon!" she exclaimed, hardly able to contain the happiness bursting through her. "What are you doing here?" Danny shurgged moving the stroller. "My wife's work. She's a fashion designer, quite a good one in fact, and Gap is buying some of her clothes to sell" Lizzie knodded impressed. "Thats great! I would love to met your wife" she insisted looking toward the Gap door.  
  
Danny looked down at Lizzie, since he was like a foot taller then she. "And what are you doing here?" he asked his voice a bit concerned. The last time he saw her she was practically bawling her eyes out in fright of seeing her family, and seeing her now bouncing and gleaming with happiness, he figured everything turned out all right.  
  
But some people just couldn't be too sure.  
  
Lizzie grinned. "Me and my Mum, and a friend , are window shopping. Yes, everything with me and my family are all patched up now. It wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. They missed me as much as I missed them" Danny grinned happy for her. Suddenly somebody from the stroller squealed, catching both the man and women's attention.  
  
Lizzie looked down and saw the most adorable child she could ever see after Alice. Alice was so cute for a 6 year old, but seeing that tiny cherub of a child with his big blue eyes and puff of blonde hair almost made her squeal with cuteness. The little boy looked up at her with curiousty his bottle in hand. "Lady?" he questioned his voice childish and sweet.  
  
"Awwe!!!" Lizzie allowed that bit of high pitchness. "He's adorable!!!" she cried clapping her hands as she bent down to talk to as who she suspected was 3 year old Miles, Danny's son. Danny grinned proudly. "Yes, he is just like his Daddy" he teased and looked down at Miles. "Miles, this is Lizzie a friend of Daddy's. " Miles peered up at Lizzie and grinned to show him the tiny baby teeth growing in. "Hello, Lizzie" he greeted childishly handing her the bottle.   
  
"Why, thank you Miles" Lizzie stated proud of the gift. When he turned back to eating the animal crackers on the tray, Lizzie handed him the bottle. "He is so cute Danny. I'm afriad to see your daughter" she teased softly crossing her arms. Danny laughed putting the bottle in the cup holder. "She's inside with my wife" he said looking towards the window.  
  
"Oh look here they come. I can't wait to introduce you two. You are so alike"  
  
Lizzie knodded and followed Danny's gaze. First she saw the tiny little girl ,Alice's age at least, with curly raven hair held up into two pigtails wearing a bright multicolored dress, a pink shirt, a bunch of necklaces and jewlery and a big sticthed purse around her waist and in a pair of christmas stockings. Lizzie laughed. She was cute but unexpected.  
  
Danny knodded at her laugh. "Yeah, I try desperatly to get her mom to change her before she leaves the house, but she insists that we would ruin her sense of style" he mocked quietly shaking his head. Finally following the tiny little girl was the wife Lizzie had been dieing to met.  
  
One look at her and Lizzie felt her jaw drop in shock and amazement and how extremely extremely weird it was.  
  
Next to Anya, holding empty shopping bags was a young woman at least Lizzie's age, with long striaght black hair, alot like Anya's, held into a sweet looking frenchbraid her green eyes masked with makeup. She wore a white shirt and a pair of jean overalls with flowers designed down the legs, her whole body jumping with energy and excitement and she was laughing at something with her daughter showing the sparkling amazing eyes and the pale ivory skin glistening with happiness.  
  
Lizzie now knew why Anya looked so familiar to her eyes.  
  
"Miranda?!?!"  
  
***  
  
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA Didn't see that coming didya ? Didya? Just admit it you never suspected a thing ^.^ !!! I am so good.... *does some more dancing* Reviewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww  
  
Thank You and Have a Nice Day.  
  
~MerlinsApprentince 


	4. Part 4

The Wish  
  
by:MerlinsApprentince  
  
***  
  
Chapter 4  
  
A/N: Alright this is getting kinda creepy. I am on Chapter 4. It's quite a miracle. Me , my lazy self, actually doing stuff. Your quite lucky, if your reading this, lol. It takes me freakin forever to finish one chapter. Some advice. Relish this chapter. Take your time reading it. Who knows when I will do chapter 5, lol. But I will previal!!!  
  
***  
  
Lizzie quietly looked at the young woman who's head raised at the explanation of her name. Danny frowned looking at her. This was weird. How did she know his wife's name?   
  
The woman who Lizzie suspected was her childhood best friend stopped and starred at Lizzie, who was standing next to Danny. She looked over at her short wavy blonde hair still held back by the yellow headband, the soft blue eyes, the decortive but nice way she dressed, down to her old adias sneakers. She gaped. "Lizzie?" she questioned her voice shocked and weak.  
  
Danny's eyes danced between the two women who starred at one another for the last minute or two. It was obvious they new each other from a long time ago, or at least met once before in their lives. When he said it was a small world, he truly didn't know how small it was. "Well, this is quite a nice surprise... Um, Lizzie, this is my wife Miranda, Miranda this is a friend of mine from the plane trip home" Danny said awkwardly truly afriad both of them were going to catch flies in their mouths from keeping them gaping for so long.   
  
Miranda starred silently her emerald eyes potraying shock and surprise. She hadn't seen Lizzie, since that day the accident happened, since Lizzie found out and stomped out in tears, practically sure of herself that it was all her fault. Lizzie had been her best friend through elementary, middle, and high school. Then one day she vanished from her life for 6 years. And in one day she reappears just as fast as she left.  
  
Lizzie looked over Miranda. The last time Lizzie had seen her, Miranda had dyed her hair a ruby red and it was cropped unneatly, and she was wearing all sorts of punk rock clothes. Lizzie remembered she liked the style, and would have loved to dress like that, but she had her own sort of fashion sense and she stuck with those. Now she looked so much more comfortable, her daughter, at her side.  
  
It took her a few minutes to registar the last 2 words. Her daughter. Miranda was a mother. Miranda was happily married to Danny Phoenix, a man she met only a couple of hours ago, with 2 adorable young children. What about Gordo? Was he married and had children? And Ethan Crafte her old middle school and high school crush? Was he as happy as married had looked minutes before?  
  
Finally Miranda broke the silence cupping Anya's small hand in her's. "L-Lizzie?" she croaked quietly looking at her best friend awkwardly. "W-w-what are you doing here? I thought you---" Lizzie stopped breaking it off her voice just as raspy as Miranda's. "Um , well , Matt's getting married soon, and my mom... she called me, to come down and visit for his wedding. So I came" she whispered hugging herself looking at Miranda apprehensively.  
  
Was she mad?  
  
Angry?  
  
Was Miranda even happy to see Lizzie?  
  
Lizzie highly doubted it. She left Miranda and Gordo without even a goodbye, her hurt, pain, and anger flooding through her viens, that she couldn't even think striaght. But it came to her as a surprise, when Miranda dropped Anya's hand and closed the space between the two as she hugged Lizzie close to herself.  
  
Miranda didn't even knew how it happened. Once Lizzie did confirm she was herself, Miranda felt something explode inside her. Her best friend was back. It was like she had found out she had died, and then just learned it was some terrible mistake. She had felt tears prick her own eyes as she wrapped her arms around Lizzie's body hugging her tightly as if in thought that if she let go she would lose her friend again, but this time forever.  
  
Lizzie, still a bit taken aback from the show of affection without any revenge as well, wrapped her own arms around her hugging her back as she closed her eyes. This was Miranda here. She wasn't afraid of anything, especially shows of affection and tears. And Lizzie was just as happy to have her back in her life. Nothing could have made her more happier now. Hey maybe Gordo was hiding somewhere in this mall too?  
  
Miranda pulled back, quietly wiping the tears that escaped her grasp. She still had her arms around Lizzie though. "Lizzie... this is so... amazing. I thought you had left, and that you were never going to come back" Lizzie sighed frightened. She had made them this unhappy? At that moment long ago, she was sure everyone would have been happy to see her go. Lizzie took Miranda's shoulder firmly feeling tiny tears escape. "I couldn't do that. I could never just leave forever" she admitted silently. Even if it took all her courage, she knew deep down, even if Matt never married she would have made her way to Hillridge whether she wanted to or not.   
  
Miranda knodded laughing the sadness away. Anya watched with a confused glance as she inched over to her father. Silently she took his big hand and asked "Daddy whats going on?" Danny frowned watching the two. "I haven't a idea, sweetie" he said truthfully eyeing the scene confused above all reason. "I'm sorry. I just saw you and became a mess" Miranda admitted as she searched through her purse for a tissue. Lizzie laughed, the noise sobby like. "If you have another tissue, I wouldn't mind having on" she insisted and the two laughed, even though the comment wasn't hardly a bit funny.   
  
Miranda handed her former best friend a tissue and grinned up at her. "So how long are you planning to stay?" she asked slowly looking at her with a long stare. Lizzie grinned. "For awhile. I'm not excatly sure yet" she admitted taking the tissue greatfully and wiped her eyes carefully. Miranda knodded biting her lip. "Well, how long have you been here?" she asked slowly. She had been here and hadn't called her? Even if she didn't know her number she could have made at least a effort...  
  
"I just got back yesterday"  
  
Well, thats a good reason Lizzie didn't call. "Really? Are you here by yourself?" Miranda asked looking around for anyone she would recongize. "Um, no" Lizzie replied fixing her hair. "My mom and her friend are eating down at the food court. I saw Danny, here, and came over to investigate and say hello" she explained smiling at Miranda.  
  
Miranda turned toward Danny raising an eyebrow. "And how do you know Lizzie?" she asked with a small teasing tone. Danny grinned. "We met on the plane back home. She was so nervous, Miranda, couldn't help but be friendly" he begged quietly grinning softly again. Miranda laughed shaking her head. "I know, I know. Thats you. But you didn't tell me the person you met was Lizzie Mcguire" at that she linked a hand around Lizzie's shoulder smiling down at her.  
  
Lizzie grinned back. Looks like all little hates or dislikes were gone from Miranda, replaced with joy to see her again. Just like with her family. Once again it made her feel stupid. She shouldn't have been afriad to come and see her friends like she was afraid to come and see her family. "So, Lizzie , since you are here, why don't you come and join us for dinner?" Miranda invitied quietly looking at Danny for premission, who without a word knodded. Lizzie grinned. "I would certainly love to. Have you guys eaten lunch yet? I'd love you guys to come join me and Mum, we could you know catch up and stuff"  
  
Danny sighed. "Can't, I got to get back to work, finish those accounts" Miranda sighed again then turned toward Lizzie. "Sure, I guess me and the kids won't mind a little lunch?" Anya looked down at her tummy, and suddenly it rumbled. "Mummy can we have Mcdonalds?" she pleaded pulling on Miranda's sleeves pulling a starving look she often did when she was hungry.  
  
Miranda knodded. "Sure Baby" she grinned as she took the stroller from Danny, who pulled out his cellphone and junk from the bottom. "Be home with Lizzie 'round 5 or 6" she informed her husband as he waved goodbye to the two girls heading toward the exit.  
  
Miranda took the stroller getting a good look at Lizzie who was at her side. "You cut your hair" she observed stupidly and the two laughed again. "Yeah, um, I do archeology and long hair isn't the best thing for work like that... You've changed your hair back to your natural color"  
  
Miranda smilied quietly. "Yeah, Danny hated ruby" she wrinkled her own nose. Lizzie grinned pleasently. "So do I know Danny from school or something?" she asked giving a inquistive look at her friend. Miranda laughed as she kept hold of Anya's curious hand and held on to the stroller at the same time. "Actually he did go to Hillridge"  
  
Lizzie looked up confused. "Really? I've never noticed him." Miranda laughed. "He was three years older then us" she explained quietly taking the bottle and handing down to Miles who was desperately whining for it. Lizzie grinned down at him. "He's so cute. He look's so much like Danny" she smilied, awkwardly because she noticied Anya was giving her many inquisitive looks.   
  
Miranda grinned down proudly at Miles. "He's my baby. Gordo likes to call him Mini Danny" Lizzie's head snapped at Gordo's name. "Gordo... How is he?" she asked slowly as if she hadn't been thinking of him and Miranda the whole time she came back. The young woman laughed , pushing the stroller through the crowds of the Hillridge Mall. "Gordo is by all means fantastic. He owns a huge account. Danny actually works for him. He's rich, famous, and he is getting married soon too. Not as soon as Matt but soon enough" the raven hair women stated.   
  
Lizzie bit her lip. Gordo was engaged as well? Was she the only single former student from Hillridge High? Right now it seemed that way. Anya looked up her face lighting up at Gordo's name. "Uncle Gordo's here Mummy?" she asked quickly turning around, as if to find the man hiding behind her. "No, but we're going to go see him tommorrow for Breakfast. Lizzie your invitied if you want to come. I'm sure he'd love to see you" Miranda went on talking as she had done when she was younger and had a topic she could not get rid of.  
  
Anya frowned. "But I wanna see Uncle Gordo now!" she whispered softly clearly disappointed. "Baby, just wait til tommorrow." Miranda whispered back grinning awkwardly at Lizzie. "Gordo's Anya's godfather. You won't believe how good he is with children. He's got Anya, Miles, and every other child under his thumb" Lizzie laughed. "Gordo? David Gordon?" she asked confused. He was good with children? Since when?  
  
Miranda laughed. "No kidding, I was shocked too" she said with the same amount of laughter as they came up to Mrs.Mcguire and Alice who were both chowing down on chinese food and a Happy Meal. "Mom, Miranda" Lizzie introduced at first, but nethier had to be, they both squealed hello and hugged one another tightly.  
  
Jo looked at Miranda's slim figure and the 2 children. "Honey look at you!" she gapped quietly laughing. Miranda laughed awkwardly. "Its nice to see you too, Mrs.McGuire"   
  
Lizzie and Miranda both pulled up chairs, and after Miranda retrieved Anya, Miles, and herself lunches, they all started talking about one another and theirselves. Well, basicly it was just Lizzie and Miranda who were catching up, Jo was still amazed at how cute Miles was and couldnt help but play with him the whole time in his stroller.   
  
Anya sat down looking at her Mommy and the stranger. They were nice friends. Now Anya couldnt play french fry people with Mommy, she was going to have to play with someone else. She looked toward Alice who was patiently chewing on a chicken nugget. She would do. "Hiya I'm Anya" the little curly haired child stated sitting in the chair next to Alice. Alice looked up confused. "Hello. I'm Alice" she introduced herself after she swallowed her food.   
  
"Wanna play fry man?" Anya asked out right and blunt pulling out one salty potato after another. Alice frowned looking at Anya strangely. "French Fry Man?" she questioned slowly giving the tiny girl a queer look. Lizzie laughed watching the scene with humour. "Teaching your kid stuff like that Miranda is going to make her a outcast at school" she teased scooping down her fried rice hungrily. Miranda gave her a eye, twinkling. "Come on, you could not say yes to get that cute adorable face!" she answered truthfully and the 2 laughed.  
  
Miranda quietly ate a more bigger bit of the Big Mac she ordered and turned back towards Lizzie. "So your a archelologist?" Lizzie smilied a bit awkward at the situation. Usually she and her friend would talk striaght through whatever they were doing and ignore all other surrounding things. But that wasn't the same now. Miranda had kids, and Lizzie hadn't a clue what to talke about. "Yeah. I travel from place to place digging up stuff if you will" Miranda knodded fascinated. "That sounds like fun. I've never noticed that you wanted to travel as kids"  
  
Lizzie knodded again. "Thats true. I actually didn't want to. It took some convincing on my friends, Gabriel and Alison, part to actually do it. I love it now. Sometimes though it gets annoying." she grinned finishing off on the rice, and headed striaght for the sweet and sour chicken. "And what about you? I mean, you know, your dreams of becoming a pop star, or singer?"  
  
Miranda laughed aloud at her old forgotten dreams. "Oh yeah" she chuckled fondly shaking her head. "Well, I got bored with singing. Everyone who audtioned sound the same, and I figured that my voice was no different. I decided on other topics I am good at and Danny suggested fashion. And that got me here, selling my clothe line, "Luv". " Lizzie grinned proud of her friend's wonderful success.  
  
"From singing to fashion design. Not that big of a jump I say. Still think you should have been a singer. "   
  
"Oh yeah and archeology wasnt a big step at all. You'd be better off selling candy, then digging in the dirt, the last time I remember..."  
  
***  
  
Lizzie smilied lazily sitting on the empty table of the new Starbucks found a few blocks from her house. She and Miranda had spent the rest of the other day, lounging about the mall trying desperately to make up for lost time. Even when Lizzie came to Miranda's huge house they were still on how they accquired their jobs and about Uncle Gordo.  
  
But Lizzie wasn't young anymore and couldn't just sleep over the Pheonixs' house. So, Miranda did invite her for breakfast the next morning at this Starbucks. Lizzie awoke with an excitied bubbly feeling. She couldn't wait to see how Gordo had turned out. Now that the blonde hair women learned that her friends weren't at all mad at her she wasn't afriad of meeting them anymore. And if she swore she thought Miranda was going to end up famous and she was clearly wrong she just hardly couldnt contain her curiousity about the rest.   
  
Softly she starred at the already empty espresso cup. Maybe it was a lie to say that she was just a BIT nervous. Afterall she was going to have to see Gordo again after a full 6 years, and Gabe and Alison were coming in on plane today and she hoped they were exceptable. "Good Morning" a cheery voice broke her thoughts and Lizzie turned to see a cheerful Miranda in a loose dirty pair of jeans and a pick shirt her long raven locks loose around her face.  
  
Anya trailed at her mother's heel, with yet another outrageous outfit. "Hey, Good Morning" the blonde greeted back as the 2 sat down at the table she saved. "Sorry we're late. Miles was throwing a fit" Miranda explained quickly pulling out a brush from her purse to fix her hair. She hardly got to brush it anymore, she just didnt have the time. Wow being a parent took alot out of your looks.   
  
Lizzie laughed. "Don't worry about it. Gordo's late too" The mother rolled her eyes, hurrying the brush through her silky tresses. "He's alway late don't worry about it. Megan takes forever to get ready" Lizzie knodded letting her finger circle the top of her empty cup. She had learned that Megan was Gordo's egocentric bratty spoiled fiancee that has the poor guy wrapped around her expensive manicured finger. That was a excat quote from Miranda herself.  
  
"Alright, I'll go get us something to eat---" Marianda began standing up quietly sticking the brush in her purse where it belonged most of the time. But Lizzie stood up breaking her lead. "You know what, don't worry about it." she insisted "It's on the house. What do you guys want?" Miranda raised an eyebrow as she sat back down reluctantly. "Dark Coffee, please" she informed as she crossed her legs a bit unsure. Anya looked up from her barrbie doll she pulled out of her backpack. "Chocolate muffin and chocolate milk" the little kid ordered professionally as she went back to her little imaginary world of dolls.   
  
Lizzie grinned fondly. She was taking a big liking to the oldest Pheonix child. She remembered that Anya looked just like her mom, when she was that age, and when she saw Anya and Alice together yesterday it flashed back a memory to her. The 2 children reminded her of when Miranda and her had met on their first day of kindergarten. Wild Spunky Miranda Sanchez and Quiet Shy Lizzie Mcguire. It was odd seeing them together, but she plained to have Anya visit Alice alot more often.  
  
"Anything else?" she asked searching through her miniture purse for her credit card. Marianda and Anya both shook their identical heads as a no, and Lizzie left the table. She sighed looking at the long winding line. And she volunteered because...?  
  
She rolled her blue eyes and headed to get her place before another family of 10 came in out of nowhere. Lizzie waited awkwardly her foot stamping quietly on the tile. She went over the orders in her head. Dark. Chocolate Milk. Chocolate Muffin. And Lizzie was going to order herself another double espresso and a blueberry muffin.   
  
But suddenly her thought process was broken when a high whiny voice intervined. "Oh Davey what are you ordering?" She sighed closing her eyes. Great. Instead of having a family of 10 children cehind her she had a couple of lovey dovey just married couple. Lizzie kept her back to them.   
  
Ever since she found everyone was coupled in Hillridge instead of her, Lizzie had a whole different view on couples. Rightnow she absolutely postively despised them and envied them. Only if she was still dating Leon Carlson, then she wouldn't feel so alone. Oh wait, he was the one who had all those ugly stains on his shirt. Nevermind.   
  
"Really Davey! Thats excatly what I was going to order! We are so alike!" This time a male voice replied humoursly. "Right, babe. You sure you want plain old coffee? No Sugar? Cream?"  
  
"No! I want whatever your having sweetiepie"   
  
Lizzie winced at the nicknames biting her lip. If she wasn't careful she was ethier going to blow up in their faces or burst out laughing at their cuddliness displayed in public. She decided she would order quickly then rush as far away from the 2 as physicly possibly. The line went alot slower and by the time she had come to the counter Lizzie was at the end of her rope.  
  
"A dark coffee, chocolate milk and muffin, blueberry muffin and a double espresso and please please PLEASE hurry" she froaned throwing down the order and moving to the waiting line trying to not look behind her. The Starbucks barker announced Lizzie's order. Soon enough the tray of breakfast food appeared in front of her. Lizzie snatched her hot beverage first, in desperate need of a caffiene buzz as soon as possible.  
  
Maybe Lizzie was just a tad bit to eager, because she procedded on spilling the entire boiling hot espresso all over the girl behind her. "Oh my god I'm so sorry!" Lizzie cried closing her eyes in embrassment. It was the couple cooeing behind her. Smart Mcguire. Pour hot espresso all over her, great way to aviod them entirely. The poorlady folded herself inward trying desperately to get her own body away from her thin white dress.   
  
"Its okay" she laughed out loud. But Lizzie didn't hear because she kept repeating the fact that she was dreadfully sorry. "Oh geez, miss, I didn't mean - - -"   
  
"Its ok, really" the stranger reassured Lizzie. "I'm fine" Lizzie once again ignored her and grabbed a mile high stack of napkin and then just to show off how clumsiy she was dropped them all on the floor. "Oh Dammit!" Lizzie cried bending huurriedly to pick them up. Her day just could not get any worse.   
  
And you know when someone says that something extremely bad happens.  
  
That was the case for Lizzie.  
  
The guy laughed heartily, bending down on one knee helping her. "Listen don't worry about it, Megands had worse then hot coffee split on her" Suddenly Lizzie stopped fumbling for the starbuck's labeled napkins. That voice. She heard it flirting witht he girl earlier, but that mocking, sarcastic tone hit a bell inside her head. And Megan. Wasn't that the name of Gordo's fiancee?   
  
No. No it couldn't be the Megan she just spilt scorching hot double espresso on. There was millions of Megan's in the world. Lizzie raised her sapphire eyes from the ground and tried desperately not to look at the guy, just so she could prove herself that it wasn't David Gordon. But curiousity got the best of her. She flashed her eyes toward the tall towering man. Ha , first he was tall. Gordo was so short she and Miranda had the funniest times irritsting him about his height.   
  
She felt reassured. But when Lizzie had a good look all her reassureance and doubt went down the drain. Curly dark chocolate hair. Crystal blue eyes. A fine cheseled face, his chin and cheeks a bit scarthy from not being shaved a day or two. Taut biceps peeking from his double stitched loose shirt. Lizzie felt her own jaw drop. It was Gordo, no doubt about it, but at the same time it couldnt be. What happened to the short,lanky kid she knew during her childhood?  
  
"Gordo?" she asked cautiously her eyes still roaming over him. He had changed the most of the trio, with his growth spurt, and not to mention his muscle growth. The supposed-Gordo handed the supposed-Megan the tower of napkin trying to wipe the stain that was slowly cooling down. "Huh?" the guy asked lifting his head to look at her. Lizzie looked at his yes. Yes it was Gordo, standing right in front of her, in one of her most embrassing moments of her life.   
  
Gordo starred back at her for a moment and shook his head. "How do you know my- - - -- ?" but his sentence was left unfinished as his eyes looked over Lizzie's, clearly going down to her ratted old adida, to those jeans she saw in the mall yesterday (Miranda designed it, and had given her a free pair) to her light baby pink sleeved shirt and wavy yellow curls her head half hidden by a bucket hat.  
  
Gordo looked over quietly as his memory pieced together to show him the picture. "Lizzie?" he questioned just as slowly as she had questioned him. "Lizzie Mcguire?"  
  
Lizzie suddenly let a large smile loose spreading over her face hardly containing her excitement. She had the same joyful excitied feeling that she had when she saw Miranda and Anya in the mall. "Hi Gordo" was all she could managae through her happy smile. Gordo didn't reply, but instead laughed in amazement, ,and at the excat same moment both threw their arms around one another in a close hard hug.   
  
Lizzie laughed echoing Gordo's own laughter, after a minute of two of hugging. Gordo was grinning. "Oh my god Lizzie look at you!!! What did you do to your hair??!!!" Lizzie laughed loudly putting her hand through her short curls. She didn't know her hair was going to be such a commotion. Miranda had given her a huuge speech about it. But Lizzie decided to turn the conversation around.   
  
"Me?? Look at me?" she exclaimed clapping her own hands. "Look at you! Since when do you go to the gym?!" Gordo laughed. "Ever since my parents thought I spent half of mym lifetime watching Nickelodeon on my couch and threathened to take away my satellite" he replied honestly. Lizzie shook her head marveling at how much her friends had changed over a course of 6 years.  
  
And the fact she couldn't be properly introduced to them, she ran into them. Miranda in the mall, and Gordo in the coffee shop. It was odd. "That sounds like something your phsycatrist parents would do" Lizzie laughed hugging him again. It was especially nice to see Gordo again. She had known him since diapers and when Lizzie needed someone to talk to it was him. He had stayed with her when she couldn't go to Danny's pool party on the first day of middle school, reassured her after her first break up, and even tried to help her catch a date with Ethan Crafte for the Sandie Hawkins dance.   
  
"Yeah well, thats them" Gordo rolled his clear blue eyes.   
  
Suddenly their attention was caught by somebody clearing her throat. Both Lizzie and Gordo turned to see a agitated Mgean standing there holding napkins in the middle of her waist. "Oh" Gordo stated quickly noticing the annoyed glare she was sending him, and unwrapped his arms from Lizzie.  
  
"Um, Lizzie this is Megan Fargo my... my uuh... fiancee. Megan this is my childhood friend Lizzie Mcguire" he properly introduced the 2 woman who stood before one another. Just looking at her reminded Lizzie of Kate Sanders. But thinking of Kate brought sad hurtful memories and she shook her head, holding her hand out for Megan to shake. Megan knodded pioletely attempting to look friendly.  
  
It wasn't working.  
  
"Hi there Lizzie" she grinned shaking her hand. Gordo sighed taking the already soaked napkins and tried to dab the stain lighter. Megan sighed blowing a perfect blonde tendril away from her perfect face. It was a new dress too. "Look, Honey bun, why don't you just go find Miranda while I go and clean up in the bathroom?" Megan suggested throwing away the napkins. Lizzie had handed earlier. Lizzie winced guiltily. "I'm still so sorry. I'll-- I'll pay for the dry cleaning---"  
  
Gordo chuckled shaking his bouncy curls. "It's ok, Liz, if you hadn't heard us the first few times" he stated raising an eyebrow. Megan laughed shaking her own head as she headed toward the girlsroom to fix what was left of her new dress. As soon as Megan was gone, Lizzie grinned teasingly "So Davey's getting married?"  
  
Gordo's face turned bright red as he gathered his labtop carrier he dropped off at the chair when Lizzie so skillfully spilt her espresso. "Is it so hard to take in?" he questioned. She laughed leading him to their table, what was left of Miranda, Anya, and her own's food. "Actually it is. Gordo getting married. Especially to someone like Megan..." she stated sheepishly shaking her head. Gordo looked up defensively.  
  
"What's wrong with Megan?" he countered back. "Nothing. Don't worry about it. It just came as a surprise to me, thats all" Lizzie replied back truthfully curling around one table. He didn't reply to that but asked a simple question.   
  
  
"So... why are you back?"  
  
Lizzie stopped a bit shocked at the question. Well, not really the question. She was actually expecting to have that come up at one point during the conversation. She had disappeared without a word for 6 years and just came back. She was a bit shocked at the tone. Lizzie looked back to see the seriousness on his well built face, looking at her with icy inqusitive eyes. How much had he missed her?  
  
"Um..." she whispered shaking her eyes from his gaze. "Well Matt's also getting married. Mum called and invitied me over. And I got really homesick, ever since I left and I couldn't let the chance of meeting my family, Miranda, and you slip away from me" Gordo crossed his arms over his awfully well built chest seen well through the thin flimsy shirt. So she didn't concieve the courage to come herself.  
  
Well that withered away his supposed thoughts. He assumed Lizzie came over her fears at what happened so long ago, but he was wrong. He shook his head finally after a moment of silence. "How long are you planning to stay?" he questioned the joy of seeing her gone over the fact that she was going to have to leave Hillridge anyway.  
  
Lizzie kept walking not looking up. "Don't know. Until after Matt's wedding and work calls back" Gordo knodded. Professional. Since when was Mcguire professional? Suddenly there were insight of the Pheonix table. "Uncle Gordo!!!" Anya's childish voice exclaimed and suddenly he was attacked by a little kid who was faster then the speed of light at the moment. "Umph!" the man cried as the impact caught him and brought him down. "Honey are you trying to bring down Uncle Gordo?!" he asked the tiny girl, as he caught his breath.   
  
"No" Anya answered truthfully as he scooped her up from the ground and she threw her tiny arms around his neck. "I was waiting all day yesterday, but Mommy said you'd come today and play with me!" Gordo laughed. Where did Anya get thiese ideas, he hadn't gotten a clue. "Your Mommy said that? She's always right isn't she?" he teased cradling his goddaughter.  
  
Lizzie watched the scene with quiet interest. Gordo was never a kid person. He was cool around Matt and Lanny when they were younger, but baby kids like Anya and Miles always made him nervous when he was in middle and high school. She recalled the memory when Gordo's mom had gotten pregnant again, and he was going to have a baby in the house. He mourned for weeks on end.  
  
Miranda laughed standing up to take the food from Lizzie's hand. "That's right, Gordo. Surprised you haven't learned that yet" she teased quietly grrinning. Gordo was like that to kids for a reason and she wasn't going to share it unless she was given premission. Lizzie grinned wider again as she sat down, Gordo and Anya talking wildly about their day.   
  
Anya suddenly stopped talking and peered around. "Where's Megan?" she asked in a whisper. In Megan's presence Anya was suppose to address her Auntie Megan, to the little kid's disgust, but Uncle Gordo didn't care. Gordo laughed. He knew she didn't like her and he could undersyand that. Megan wasn't a kid person, he was sure of that. Gordo grinned and whispered back. "Megan's in the restroom" he chuckled remembering the reason why.  
  
He made his voice a bit louder, and Lizzie felt her face redden. She predicted his next words in her mind, covering her face with her hands. "See here, your Aunt Lizzie spilt scorching hot coffee all over her...." Lizzie sighed shaking her head as Miranda and Gordo burst out laughing and Anya peered up with interest. "Really? Oh man, I miss so much when I don't wait in line..."  
  
***  
  
"Sir?"  
  
The voice was elegant smooth his spanish accent echoeing throughout the large round room, ringing in the man's delicate ears. Carlos was going to give him quite a headache if he kept talking like that. "Yes?" he countered back quietly his finger trailing around the smooth leather armrest of the wheelchair. The latest in technology. But he hoped he wouldn't be sitting here much longer.  
  
"I have found the gem" his employee replied back to the back of his boss's wheelchair. Carlos felt the sweat drip down his forehead, in hopes he would be pleased of this. He hadn't mean doing a fair job, and Sir was getting more and more agitated. They had searched everywhere for it for so long, but it was found now. He should be pleased.   
  
And Carlos was right. His boss was exceptionally pleased. "Wonderful!!! Where is it??? Who's found it?" he asked hurriedly not bothering to turn his chair around to see Carlos. He rather liked gazing at the bright flickering flames of his fireplace then at Carlos's greasy slick face. "A young archeologist found it, on the tip of southern Ireland. It looks just the way you describe it Sir. The dragon, the griffin, and the unicorn."   
  
The Boss grinned quietly watching the flames leap up licking forward, disenergrating the wood that it fed on. Merlin's necklace. The most exisquite thing in the universe. Even more beautiful then The Queen of England's crown. It was so simply but so amazing, with its tiny jewel and the three mythical creatures surrounding it. A wizard was so advanced for his time and age. The magic that gem held. The magic he will soon one for his liking.  
  
"Get me Agent 123"   
  
Carlos stopped and starred, his eyes peircing the back of the wheelchair. "A-agent 123?" he gasped quietly his sweat increasing his eyes searching at the dark cracks. "Yes. Bring her to me" the boss ordered sharply. He didn't like his employee's questioning him. "Uh... Um... yes sir" Carlos cracked back as he stepped into the shadows and quietly pulled out a cellphone.   
  
"Hello? Yes. Bring me Agent 123. Yes, Yes, Agent 123. Send her to Boss's room. Now"   
  
The man listened intently to Carlos's now rough orders. He was such a withering coward under his gaze , but when he was a man in charge, he could frighten anyone. After a minute or two, Carlos shut the cellphone and the front door opened.   
  
In the shadows a young woman appears in tight leather shirt and pants her midnight trenchcoat large and bulky against her supposed delicate figure. A bunch of hidden weapons and other torture devices were hidden everywhere on her body and that simple coat, her long auburn hair held into a tight bun against her thin pale face her bright blue eyes peering over everyone and everything.   
  
"Ah, yes. Agent 123" the man observed without turning his wheelchair. The woman stopped a inch in front of his desk and sharply knodded. Agent 123 was a woman. And the most dangerous assasin in the world. Silently the man turned around revealing his face to the young woman, who stopped back a bit from the shock of his disorganzied and ugly face, but hardly winced her eyes starring down his.   
  
"Agent 123, I have a mission for you. I want you to retrieve Merlin's gem to me. And I want you to kill anyone who gets in your way."  
  
***  
  
Lizzie sighed hurriedly looking at her choatic room. "Mommm!!!!" she cried loudly her agitated voice echoeing throughout the Mcguire household. Jo giggled quietly as she heard it ring through out the kitchen where she was making a big dinner, for the Mcguires,Pheonixs Gordo, Megan, Cammi, Alice, and Lizzie's two new friends. Lizzie was Lizzie and Jo knowing her, she couldnt find a brush or something.  
  
"What???" Jo cried back dropping the potato she was peeling, as she headed back up the steps hardly containing a grin of joying of hearing her daughter's agitated voice. "Have you seen the hairbrush?" Lizzie called from her room tearing everything apart in a desperate search.  
  
Jo chuckled from the door frame. "Honey, your hairs to short to brush. Don't worry about it" she encouraged as she picked up some dirty clothes from the floor and put it into the hamper. Lizzie sighed agitated. She was actually more nervous then ever. She didn't know why she invitied Gabe and Ali. For moral support , sure, but she didn't need it now. Now she had to go through the stress of her parents liking them and not annoying them, and then their was the fact of Miranda and Gordo.   
  
No offense to Gabe and Alison, but they were like her replacement for the two when she came down to Florida. Gabe was a more laid back goofy Gordo, and Alison was excatly like Miranda except for the red hair and pale skin. She had a feeling their was going to be some controversy here, with her new friends, and her old friends. She could pray, but Lizzie just had that feeling.  
  
"Right. Short hair. Right" she mumbled collasping into her old bean bag chair. Jo chuckled at the big blob of nervousness. "Hey relax Lizzie. I'm sure everythings going to work out fine" she encouraged gently crossing her arms with a knowing motherly look. "Yeah, Yeah, I know mother's are always right" Lizzie stated rubbing her temples gently. Jo laughed again. She was right. Mother's were exceptionally right.  
  
Jo turned her head quietly looking at the mess. Suddenly her eye came across something. "Wow look at this" she whispered coming over to pull out the beautiful elegant necklace held with a thin silver string. It was a gem that was so many different colors that she couldn't define it and with a silver border it was a unicorn, a dragon, and a griffin. Lizzie smilied at what her mother mentioned.  
  
"Oh, thats my recent find. From Ireland. It's supposedly Merlin's, you know the ancient wizard... King Arthur's mentor" she stated coming over as she watched Jo hold up to the sunlight. It broke into a beautiful prism the multicolored lights dazzling against Lizzie's walls. "It's beautiful...." Jo remarked. "But it looks familiar. Like I've seen it somewhere" she stated quietly smoothing it over with her thumb. The gem was so smooth and slick.  
  
"Its my good luck charm. It's worth nothing basicly, because alot of people think its fake, but I think its pretty" Lizzie remarked as she reclaimed the necklace from Jo, and doing so caught a glance at her watch.  
  
"Oh my god! Mom we gotta go now now now! Their plane's coming in 15 minutes and the airport is 35 minutes away!!!" she cried loudly throwing the necklace into her jean pockets quickly as she hurried to get her purse and her hate. Jo looked at her own watch and marrveled how the time pass. "Oh geez come on Liz, lets go, I hate being late" she stated as she hurried down the steps grabbing her own more adult purse and waitied in the car.  
  
Lizzie followed her curls bouncing down the steps, the necklace secure in her pocket.  
  
***  
The plot is revealing .... muwhahahahahahahahahahhahahahahahaha  
  
Thank you and Have a Nice Day.  
  
~MerlinsApprentince 


	5. Part 5

The Wish  
  
By:MerlinsApprentince  
  
***   
  
Chapter 5  
  
A/N: This is the chapter with things start getting interesting. I'm changing the rating to PG -13 because I'm done with being innocent. We all know that hardly is any fun. This is going to be a mystery,a interesting story. The love plot was sort of taken from another series, but not really, the idea and I worked out from it, so if some of it seems familiar to you, you'll know why. But you won't notice that til more chapters come out. . . Well enjoy!!! ^.^  
  
***  
  
Lizzie sat quietly in the ugly leather chairs. She had finally come to a conclusion. She absolutely despised airports. Hated them. Thought there couldn't be a worse invention other then this little junkie areas, where you wait impatiently for your visitors.  
  
Jo looked down at her watch and turned back to her daughter. "How much longer, dear?" she questioned quietly looking down at her. Lizzie sat atop the chair her elbows on her knees her head in her hands. "Don't know. You'd think they'd be here... we were the ones who are late...." she grumbled nervously.   
  
Suddenly from a new burst of people, Lizzie spotted Gabe's abnormally large build, and Ali's bright, bobbing red head. "Oh there they are!" Lizzie acknowledged joyfully jumping from the chair and hurrying over to met her two best friends.   
  
"Ahh!" Ali laughed loudly as Lizzie hugged her tightly, both of them giggling madly. "Oh its great to see both of you!" Lizzie whispered as she hugged Ali, and greeted Gabe with a kiss on the cheek. Ali laughed shaking her two braids. "Its great to see you too! How are you fairing?" she questioned, softly. Lizzie laughed at her apprehension.  
  
"Come met my mom" pretty much answered Ali's questions. Jo came up, at her second name and grinned. "Hi there. I'm Jo Mcguire Lizzie's mom" she introduced herself merrily putting on a truthful grin. Ali smilied her arms still around her best friend. "Hello Mrs. Mcguire. I'm Alison Lynn, but you can call me Ali if it makes you more comfortable" she said poiletely smiling.   
  
Jo liked Ali at first. She seemed like such a darling child, a girl who could be Lizzie's friend through and through. "And this is Gabe" Lizzie pulled the large blonde man over, who had a tantalizing grin that usually made young girls weak. "Hi there" he stated friendly like, taking his hand out for Jo to shake. She accepted merrily and found both of them a delight.  
  
"Welcome to Hillridge, Ali and Gabe" she said smiling merrily. These two were great. But Jo just wasn't sure how Gordo and Miranda were going to take it... They had been Lizzie's best friends since... well Gordo since diapers, and Miranda since school. And Gabe and Ali, they seemed to her, almost like dummies of Gordo and Miranda.Someone to take their places.   
  
This was going to be one long dinner party...  
  
***  
  
"Alice! Those are for the guests!" Lizzie scolded quietly, as she spotted the little girl sticking her finger in the chocolate pudding. The culprit looked up guiltily. "But it was ... it looks... yummy" she ended pathethicly as Lizzie scooped her up from the stool, where she had stolen a lick of the dessert.  
  
"Well you could have some later" Lizzie interjected putting the pudding in the fridge for later. Everyone was hectic running around setting the big tables and such. Cammie and Matt were due sometime soon, and Miranda and Danny and the kids were coming for a visit, and then at the spur of the earlier morning, she had invitied Gordo and his new fiancee, Megan. And Lizzie was finally going to met Alice's real parents at last.  
  
She sighed pushing her blonde wavy hair into a quick bun, slipping a apron over her nice dress. It was true her mom had made some extra dinner assortments earlier, but they were far from ready. They had the main course, which was a nice juicy ham and turkey, done but the potatoes still needed to be peeled, the fruit salad mixed, and the cherry cheesecake made.  
  
Alice frowned watching Lizzie's concentrated face trying to search for the potato peeler. "Are you ok?" the little girl questioned, still sucking her finger for any extra pudding left. Lizzie frowned peering at the tiny girl for a moment. Alice was all dressed up as well, in a fluffy green dress, her long white hair held into a nice braid, her cute little dress shoes on. This couldn't have been fun for the little girl.   
  
Good thing she remebered to invite Anya. "I'm fine... why do you ask?" she questioned raising and eyebrow as she came up truimphantly with the lost potato peeler. "You look sick" Alice stated as she went back atop the stool Lizzie had just scooped her off of. Lizzie frowned pulling the bowl of the fresh potatoes next to her, and started to peel.  
  
"What do you mean sick?" she asked again clearly confused. "Your all pale... and you look jittery... like when you go on like in a play and you see all those people... well you look like that" the little child stated shurgging, spinning in the new chair. Lizzie sighed, blowing out the hot air. She was afraid to admit the kid was right. Lizzie was extremely jittery. She didn't know why she invitied Ali and Gabe to come along. She just made the situation worse for her...  
  
How was Miranda and Gordo going to take to them? Lizzie had been their best friend since... well forever it seems to her. She never remembered otherwise, until she left so long ago. And now she was bringing both together. Would both get jealous of one another? She would have been jealous and angry if Miranda and Gordo had gotten new friends....  
  
But they were adults now. Not middle schoolers. They had matured. Of course they wouldn't be jealous. They may have even wanted to encourage it! It's not like Lizzie was going to stay here in Hillridge... she still had a home in Florida.   
  
Lizzie frowned as she had went down to the next potato the skin peeling off quickly a new idea forming in her head. Did she... did she want her her friends to be jealous of Gabe and Ali. Jealousy showed emotions for another. If Miranda and Gordo showed jealousy to the two, Lizzie would defaintly have her proof of their feelings for her. Lizzie sighed, sending her blonde loose tendril flying. She would never understand herself.  
  
The doorbell rang, breaking her and Alice's thoughts. "Oh I'll get it I'll get it!!!" Alice exclaimed childishly, as she raced to the front door her braid bouncing off her back. Lizzie chuckled wiping her wet hands against a towel. It was nice to have a child in the house, especially for her parents. She knew they were starting to feel old again, and needed someone to take care of that wasn't themselves. And they were even luckier to have that kind of child, that didn't mind pretending Jo was her mother and Sam her father.  
  
"Hi Mrs.Pheonix!!!" Alice's voice greeted and Lizzie peeked her head out to see Miranda and her family at the doorstep. Miranda laughed dressed nicely with Miles at her hip. "Hi Alice..." she greeted in a humourous tone. "Hey Miranda!" Lizzie laughed, dropping the towel at the kitchen counter and hurried over kissing her lightly at the cheek. "Oh, sorry , I know we're a bit early, but you know everyone was complaining and Anya just wanted to play with Alice and I assumed you might want some help with dinner..." she rattled on, grinning.  
  
"She just wanted to come over and talk again" Danny finished for her, with a playful grin. Miranda shot him a glare, as Lizzie laughed greeting him with a hug and a smile. "Don't worry about it, Randa. Alice was getting in my way, and I really do need help" the blonde chuckled pulling them in. Jo peered from her spot in the kitchen smiling. "Oh hello Miranda!" she greeted them all.   
  
Anya looked at Alice and grinned, leaving her dad's side as she hurried over to her new friend's side. "Hullo! Want to go play with my new dolls?" she hadn't wasted any time, and flashed the backpack she had brought in with herself, stuffed with new fashioned barbie dolls. "Ok!" Alice stated and the two went to the living room rug to play house.   
  
Jo grinned as she watched Miranda and Lizzie talk softly. "Why don't you two go upstairs and talk for awhile? Me and your father will finish up dinner" Lizzie turned around the apron still around her waist. "You sure? I mean.. I can still help out for awhile...?" she suggested still hoping mom's suggestion was true. "No. Go on ahead."   
  
Danny grinned. "I'll watch the kids for you" he stated simply as he followed the two talkative children into the living room. Miranda gave a small grin at her husband, and Lizzie led her up to her room. "So hows things been?" she questioned with a small grin. She sighed. "Tough day. Miles wouldn't let me finish the first picture of my midnight star outfit, he's driving me crazy" she teased pushing her raven curls behind her.  
  
Lizzie laughed. She never knew the day they would be talking about one another's kids and husbands. She remembered the last conversation she had with 'Randa was about what they should have worn to the prom. Blinking she instantly blocked the word prom from her mind. They hardly talked about boys or proms anymore. Hardly even clothes. It was mostly just passed memories and experiances they had all missed out and chatted about.  
  
Lizzie sighed as she thought about Miles. She was kinda hoping when she was younger that she would at least have a kid at this age, but she wasn't even married yet. She would have loved to have a child now. A small little girl, or boy. She wouldn't have mind ethier. Loneliness was sadly setting in. Suddenly the doorbell rang, echoeing in her ears. "I got it" Lizzie called out into the living room and kitchen.   
  
She sighed making her way down the steps. That was one thing she wouldn't miss about home. No matter what if she was home she was always assigned to get the door. It was almost like a chore for her. Lizzie still hadn't a clue why she still called out 'I got it!' . Everyone already knew she had got it.   
  
Lizzie glided to the door in her high twisted black heels, her short curls bouncing from last nights rag curls. She hoped it was Gordo and Megan, making their dinner tonight appearance. Then everybody would be back. But instead she was welcomed by two tall extremely.... white people.  
  
There was a man towering over Lizzie, despite her heels, with drawn milky white skin, bright blue eyes, and scarce white blonde hair. The brown plain suite looked black compared to all the light tones of his body. The women standing next to him almost sent Lizzie a step backwards though. The women looked as if what Alice would look like if she decided to grow up.  
  
She was the height of Lizzie now, with ivory soft skin with wavy wheate blonde hair, and ice blue eyes that held a silent humour in them. The smile on her face made Lizzie grin for real, the fake greeting gone. "Um, hi" she grgeeted them, allowing them to step in. These were Alice's parents after all.  
  
"You two must be Alice's mum and dad" The man gave a sharp knod and the women smilied pleasently. "Yes, we are. And you must be Elizabeth, Sam and Jo's daughter. They talk plenty about you. I'm Annie, this is Jim" Lizzie bit her lip. Even their names had a bland, austere ring to it. "Yup, you can call me Lizzie. Well, make yourselves at home, dinner should be ready in a few" she pulled them farther into the active household.  
  
"Mommy! Daddy!" Alice acknowledged but didnt get up from her seat in the living room floor next to Anya. "Alice" her mom greeted with a soft smile. Jim failed to produce a sound. Lizzie was starting to think he was mute. "Oh, Annie, it's you. I'm so glad your here. We need some big help in the kitchen. Sam may think he knows how to cook, but no one has the heart to tell him the truth" Jo started babbling as soon as she spotted Annie, kitchen towel in hand.  
  
Annie flashed a small smirk. "No problem, I will help" she stated slowly, dropping her plain creme purse on the counter. Jo grinned happily and then turned to her daughter who stood a bit uuncomfortable in her formal black dress. "You met my daughter, Lizzie, didn't you, Annie?" Jo questioned as she came next to her daughter to rub her shoulder affectionately. Annie knodded looking bored. "Yes" she replied simply.  
  
Lizzie sighed feeling impatience edge on. How did Alice become with the 2 boringest parents she'd layed eyes on? Alice spoke more words in 10 minutes then these two in a hour most likely. The world was terribly confusing. "Mom, me and Mirande want to go upstairs and talk for awhile ok?" Lizzie reminded her pointing to the staircase as to emphasize her thoughts, Jo knoded as she lead Annie back to the kitchen.  
  
"Alright dear" was her simple reply as she disappeared into the haze of smoke the stove was emitting. Lizzie sighed shaking her head. Terribly confusing world.   
  
***  
  
"Really, honey, this is pointless. Why do I have to come?" this was Megan's 5th complaint about the dinner party since Gordo put her in his slick red dodge. He sighed shaking his head. The sigh had such force it sent his curls bouncing. "Look, Meg" he said using her nickname. "Lizzie has been my best friend since we were babies and you know she's had a hard life. I havent seen ger in awhile since high school" he took a turn to the Mcguire's house.  
  
Megan sighed in a pair of loose jeans and a silky elegant shirt. Despite the jeans, Megan looked formal, elegant , and beautiful in just about anything. "If you guys are so close why havent I heard about this Lizzie?" she questioned. Gordo sighed. Because when she left his heart broke into about a thousand pieces, and he was determined to have Elixabeth Brooke Mcguire out of his love life.   
  
But of course he wasn't going to tell his easily jealous fiancee that.  
  
"Because she moved out of state after a car accident. She needed a few years off" Gordo explained easily. Megan peered at him at the corner of her pale green eyes. "She's very pretty isnt she?" she questioned slowly. Gordo parked the car next to the Mcguire house trying hard not to chuckle.  
  
Very easily jealous fiancee.  
  
"Look" he turned sideways to stare Megan striaght in the eyes. "Lizzie is just a friend. Nothing else" Megan looked him over then allowed him to kiss her softly. "Promise me" she mummured. Gordo shook his head, allowing himself to laugh. "So, after we're married I'm not allowed to have any friends who are girls ?" he questioned humour glinting in his chocolate brown eyes. Megan raised an eyebrow. "Of course" she teased as she kissed him again, soft and sweet and not excatly what Gordo was looking for, and got out the car door.  
  
Gordo shook his head as he followed out a small smile playing on his face. "C'mon now thats not air" he insisted as he followed her over the steps clutching her wrist as she rang their door bell. "Says who?" the red head smilied her jealous and unhappy mood gone replaced witha playful mood. Megan's moods changed so easily just like a chameleon.   
  
Wasn't one of her good points but she had others. Gordo was going to comeback with a sexy reply that would get her to kiss him again when the door was opened and the 2 were greeted with a estatic "Gordo!". Lizzie leaned against the open door her soft and short blonde hair held into a tight bun loose curls faling around her glittering face, a soft glow from the simple necklace around her neck of a unicorn, ,dragon, and griffin encircling one another. She wore a long black dress that looked simple enough to wear to church but still elegant for a dinner. It shimmied down her long legs and at her pointed ankles where a pair of plain black heels latched onto her small feet.  
  
Gordo stopped all together allowing his eyes to drift up and down Lizzie before she pounced on him with a big hug. He was drowned with the scent of vanilla. Megan starred with a smile barely seeing Gordo's hidden thoughts, only the friendly hug. After all , Gordo sighed, Lizzie and I are only friends.  
  
***  
  
The dinner party had begun as a success and ended as a success. Lizzie was tired but extremely cheerful as she rinsed the plates off in the sink and handed them to Miranda who in turn put them in the dishwasher. They decided to give Jo and Sam a break and allowed them to play with Milo, who barely looked ready for sleep. Ali was collecting the dishes from the table and handed them to lizzie, ,all while having a conversation with Miranda on this season's clothes.  
  
She had no idea why she had worried so much about having Gordo and Miranda meeting Ali and Gabe. Ali and Miranda hit it off easily for both had such a passion for clothes. Gabe and Gordo had a splendid conversation on movies and Ali labeled Gordo a 'cutie'. Everything had clicked perfectly. Lizzie was even a little shocked at how well it actually worked.   
  
That squirmy feeling was gone from the pit of her stomach. "Um, Liz, it's time to go bring Alice back home" Gordo came into the kitchen Alice asleep on his chest his arms wrapped loosely around his neck. All 3 girls stifled an 'Aaaaah' just so Alice wouldn't wake. "Anya's asleep too. It seems Barbie and the Nutcracker got to both of them" Gordo informed them showing Anya dead asleep on the couch with Megan who looked like she was drowzing off to sleep as well.  
  
Miranda knodded cutting off the conversation with Ali to pit Anya into the car still asleep. Lizzie smilied as she watched Gordo cradle Alice easily. Children were all so easy for him it was amazing. And gentle. And made him look about 10 x's cuter then before. "Look I'll show you the house" Lizzie suggested wiping her hands on the dish towel and grinned at Ali.  
  
But Ali was still mismerized by Gordo and was repeatedly scrubbing a perfectly clean dish. "I think I can find it. It's just next door" the raven haired man teased but followed Lizzie out the back door and onto the porch. "Oh hush. It's not a sin to have some quiet time with a long lost friend now is it?" Lizzie teased back as the door shut behind her a small grin playing on her face.   
  
Gordo raised one eyebrow, a fleeting image of Megan in his mind. If you only knew , Liz, if you only knew. "You won't believe how nervous I was about this whole dinner thing" Lizzie grumbled absentmindley as she took off the aching heels and headed against the soft green grass her of her backyard.Her backyard looked the same as well except for the fact there seemed to be 2 dozen more gnomes then usual.   
  
Her dad had way to much time on her hands.   
  
"Why?" Gordo questioned her behind her acknowledging the fact that Lizzie was opening up to him as if she hadn't disappeared for years but only for a week. He was Gordo the listener once again. And somehow knowing this he felt himself smile deeper."Truthfully, I dont know" she chuckled crossing her arms.   
  
"I was thinking just that you might see Ali and Gabe as a substitute for you and Miranda or something utterly stupid like that" she grinned twisting her fingers. Gordo frowned, shifting Alice slowly as they came to her porchsteps.   
  
"I did " he admitted. "Actually, I think they were for awhile but then you found real true friends in them" Lizzie listened and saw how well the explanation fit. "Well...." she muttured rubbing her bare arms for warmth. "And you thought we would be mad that you would substitute us like that" Gordo concluded before Lizzie finished her sentence. She looked up with a faint smile.  
  
Gordo never failed to get anything right on the nose. "You could be rich as a pyshcologist right now you know that?" she teased. Gordo just raised an eyebrow as if he had thought of that plenty of times . "Nah, I just know you to well McGuire. And me and Miranda were never nor will we be mad at you for something like that. We're to glad to have you back" and he gave her a soft honest smile.  
  
Lizzie once again questioned herself why had she ever left this place and knodded opening the front door. Jim and Alice had went home 10 minuntes eariler and just said they'd leave the door unlocked to drop off Alice. One or both would be awake. But suddenly Lizzie noticed that the lights weren't on at all. "Hello?" Lizzie called out into the dark empty hallway. "Hello?" she sighed.  
  
Through the dark she searched for the switch. 'Aha' Lizzie thought as she flicked on the button on the switch. Light filtered in through out the huge 2 story house. It lit the long narrow hallway filled with plain family photos. It lit the vase full of dead and old wild flowers. The light lit the fresh blood on the old worn carpet. The light lit to show Lizzie and Gordo the 2 bleeding bodies of Annie and Jim.  
  
Lizzie stopped her heartbeat rocketing off as her hand went instantly to her mouth. "Oh my god" she managed to whisper her eyes barely able to pull themselves away from the mangled bodies of the Mr. and Mrs. "Jesus" Gordo hissed when he saw excatly what made Lizzie go so limp like a doll.   
  
Lizzie automatically reached for Alice as Gordo shoved her into her arms. Shock was overflowing her senses. She hadnt even the sense to scream. The you ng man bent down in the blood -- so bright, so fresh-- eyeing them both with a pale drawn face. Annie had bullet punctures on her chest and her legs, and Jim had them scattered across his face.   
  
Gordo checked both pulses even though it was obvious. "Dead, Both of them" Gordo managaed to whisper as he bent back on his heels. In Annie's hand , loose and dripping with that awful red liquid was a 9 mm pistol. Lizzie then allowed herself to break down. Tears were shoved out her blue sapphire eyes as Gordo reached to call the polivce.  
  
Annie and Jim's life was over. Everything, it was over. But truthfully for Lizzie Mcguire everything had just began....  
  
***  
  
MUUWHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA  
  
.... I am done.... On to the next chapter !!! *wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee*  
  
Thank You and Have a Nice Day  
  
~MerlinsApprentince 


	6. Part 6

The Wish  
  
by: MerlinsApprentince  
  
***  
  
  
  
Chapter 6  
  
A/N: POOOOOOOOOOOOOOR ALICE.....   
  
Just makes thing all the more interestin' though .....  
  
Enjoy  
  
***  
  
"Alice? Alice...... it's time to eat are you going to come out?" Jo McGuire stood in front of the locked bedroom door, stiff in her formal black dress. The funeral for Annie and Jim was done and over with guests coming and going in silent mourning.   
  
Lizzie stood quietly beside her, starring at the empty response. Ever sine the death Alice had made herself scarce as possible, hidden in the comforting folds of her room. The poor little girl. Let alone the fact her parents, both of them, were gone Alice had learned out how. Lizzie shivered at the terrible memory of that night.   
  
The blood. The bodies. The guun. As the police and ambulance swarmed the scene, late that night, the detective on the case, Detective Roberts, calmly explained the situaition. Annie, sweet, patient Annie, had taken the pistol, shot Jim and then quietly shot the gun in her forehead. A murder and suicide.  
  
"She's not coming out, Mom.... just leave the sandwhich at the door" Lizzie's voice was suprisingly calm, ,despite this morning's events. The burial had been tough. Sitting there in black, watching the gleaming wooden coffins fall to the ground. The foul smell of the piles of wreaths and flowers. And the tears. Those awful tears.  
  
It had brought waves of memories, memories Lizzie would rather have locked in a box and the key thrown away forever. Of the dreadful heartwrenching past. No.  
  
No, she couldn't think about that right now. Right now they had a mourning seven year old to deal with. "If she doesn't eat anything soon, she'll get ill" Jo clucked watching in apprehension as they headed down the steps. They had the small after party at Alice's Uncle's house , a bright and cheery mansion about half 10 times the size of the McGuire household.   
  
They couldn't have it at Alice's house for it was still a creme scene for the dectectives and the McGuire's weren't excatly relatives. So Jim's brother, Daniel, givingly gave up his house for the day. God bless the man. He had to be going through torture on his brother's death. Lizzie knew she would be lost, terribly lost if Matt had been murdered carelessly like that. Matt had been a pest but he was her brother. They had bonds. They may be invisible but they were still there....  
  
"Daniel was so nice to let us use his mansion...." Lizzie couldn't help but note to her motherwalkong down the beautiful sprialing staircase. Jo knodded wordlessly. Both were still in a sort of silent shock. It was hard to believe all of this happened days ago. Only days.   
  
"Hey, there. You ok?" Alison appeared with a flute of shimmering champagne in hand, her bright red hair in a french braid, a odd contrast to all the black and gray colors in the room. "I'm holding up. It's Alice. I'm worried about her, truthfully. She hasn't come out of the room since the day she found out" Lizzie sighed taking the extra glass her friend had handed to her.  
  
Jo had bid good bye and hurried to the kitchen at the sight of grray smoke and the cries of her surprised husband, leaving the two alone to wander. "I know, I know. I'm so sorry this had to happen to you. This was suppose to be a happy occasion with you know you seeing your family and friends again"  
  
Alison laid down her sympathy slipping Lizzie's limp arm through the crook of her own arm, comfortingly. She could see how stressed and hurt her friend had become by this tragedy. Especially at the funeral. Her skin became a pale milky white and her blue eyes were as wide as tea cup saucers. The poor girl had actually started to tremble .  
  
Ali remembered the last time she was like this, and she sent another shiver of fear through her body. That funeral had disturbed her usually passive friend too easily. Maybe it had something to do when before they met... she was already frightened and scared out of her wits when Ali met her at her work. The missing year of Lizzie Mcguire's life.  
  
"Don't worry, Ali. I'll be fine. Alice won't. Her mom just killed her father and then committed suicide" Lizzie ran a hand through her limp pale blonde locks. Distress and worry squirmed into the pit of her stomach, as she allowed worry for the little girl flood her. She had known Alice for a limited amount of days, but had felt like she had known her forever.  
  
Unexpectedly Alice had wormed her way into her heart. Not excatly the safest place."Of course, she's not fine. She just needs time alone to contemplate this, Lizzie. Think it over, you know? And piece it together. Her parents are gone. The kid has alot to swallow in a short amount of time." Ali smoothed down Lizzie's ruffled mother hen's feathers, patting her arm soothingly. "Give her time. Miranda and Gabe are coming by later so stick around. Gordo hasn't called yet"   
  
Lizzie sighed as they wandered the crowded buffet. Gordo was the only one who could excatly understand the gnawing guilt in her stomach no one could smooth over. Understand her dilemma. Because he was going through the same thing. The same guilt of wondering. If she had gotten there sooner would she have saved Annie and Jim? Would they still be alive? Would she have been safer if Annie hadn't drinken so much last night?   
  
The what-if game. Lizzie hadn't the heart to explain it to anybody. They would throw it asiide with pleas to not worry and don't blame yourself. Throw off her thoughts. She'd rather talk them over, and exorcise them. With someone who understood. With Gorod. But she hadn't seen him since the night of the murder. She'd just have to wait.   
  
But , hopefully, not for long. "Lizzie" Gabe came in looking strikingly handsome in a dark blue tux, his bleach blonde hair slicked back respectfully. "Phone call for you "  
  
***  
  
Gordo looked at the scene of the crime, the small quiant house of death, quietly, images and ideas running through his well developed mind. And questions. Millions and millions of questions, all of them mostly unanswered. "Did you get the test back from the pistol?" Gordo broke his gaze from the body outlines to stare blankly at Detective Roberts, a attractive attentice woman with ragged brown curls and eyes that showed stubborn-ness.   
  
She sighed pulling off the edge of her gloves. This man would not back off. "Yes. Her fingerprints were littered all over it" she said simply scarthing a few notes into a small pad she had in her purse. Gordo sighed sticking his hands thoughtfully into his jean pockets. "It just doesn't sound right. Not one bit. It's all too easy. All to easy"   
  
Roberts stopped scribbling to stare up at the annoyance for a moment. "What are you talking about, kid?" Gordo bit his lip, his eyes lingering over the dry crimson red blood stian. It all brought clips, images of that night that had happened only days ago. It felt like years. The crippled life less bodies. The blood, soft and linting, in the bright light. And the huge blank eyes of the victims. Huge terrified eyes.   
  
"The whole plot. It's just all to simple for these people. Annie and Jim... they were complicated. Who would she kill her husband? And why now, right after a dinner party? In the entrance hall no less. And their eyes, Detective. Their eyes. Her's weren't insane, crazy, angry.They were frightened. Scared" The big pale blue lifeless eyes were plastered to the back of Gordo's eyes.  
  
Unshakeable, they were. It was something Gordo would probably never forget. Nor that balmy feeling that something just wasn't right about this situation. It was all too familiar and haunting in some way. Roberts raised her eyebrows in thought, but shook it off. "Maybe she was insane, but it was then frightened of what she had done. The choices are limitless, kid. Limitless"  
  
"Hey Gordo, pretty little blonde outside waitin' for you. Won't come in though. Frightened out of her wits, she is" Peter O'Malley, one of the many cops Gordo had got accquianted with, came forward a cheeky grin on his handsome irish face. Obviously he had thought it was a very pretty blonde. Gordo looked up a bit shaken. He had been thrown back in time, to stare at the lifeless bodies in hopes for clues but it was time to come back into reality.  
  
"Oh, thanks" he mummured in reply tucking his hands into the pockets of his jeans. He had time enough to think about this. "Thanks, Detective. Sorry for the annoyance. I just have that itch that won't leave me alone about thise case. Something isn't right. Good afternoon and good luck" he pioletely waved good-bye to Peter and Roberts his mind whirling as he headed to the front door.  
  
He stepped down the porch to the fresh after noon noting the amount of police cars. Lizzie stood on the lawn, great apprehension in her blue eyes. You could see she was determined to not step back into the house that held so many surprises. "Hey, Lizzie. Sorry to keep you waiting. Have you eaten? It's almost lunchtime. Let's head down to The Cup" The long greeting seemed bland and forced as he gripped her arm.  
  
Lizzie frowned wrapping her other arm around her. Despite his wide awake and twinkling eyes, bags underneath sag deep and obvious. He musn't had a week of sleep since she last saw him. "Gordo, you ok? You look exhausted" she let worry cave over before curiousity, allowing the huge curly haired man to leard her to his slick car. "Except for my stomach, I'm pretty good. How 'bout you? Holding up?" he said going to the front seat concern in his voice evident.  
  
Lizzie hiestatingly knodded as she went into the passenger seat. She wasn't excatly fine now, but she would be. Later. After it slowly sunk in. She knew this from experiance. It only took time. "Yeah... you weren't at the funeral today. " picking at the beads of her simple embroidered black dress, Lizzie gave a sigh. Weariness was starting to take over her senses. Gordo felt it too, but only slightly. His brain was on overdrive.  
  
The ache behind his eyes told him sleep would be needed soon. If only his overly active mind would allow it. The thoughts and guesses and ideas just kept coming. It wouldn't stop. "I was there. Only for a bit though. I've been busy" he took a turn into town, running his hand over his sleep deprived eyes. "And Alice? How is she?"  
  
Lizzie had a certain sense that Gordo was putting off the reason why he had called her down for a quiet moment. He said he had something he needed to explain to someone and he needed her to listen. And obediantly Lizzie had come with hiestation. It's what they did so long before. He would talk ,explain, and she would listen. Or she would complian or irriatate and he would listen. Ethier way the pieces fit.   
  
Today it happened to be her day as a listener. "I wouldn't know. I haven't seen her for 3 days. She's locked herself in her bedroom and won't come out" Lizzie ran her hand through her short fluffy hair. A habit that had irriatated her friends so. To Gordo it had almost brought a smile to his face. The habit was as much Lizzie as were her taste in clothes and wild likings to pop rock music. "The poor girl. Not handling it well, it sounds. No fuss or fights at least" he pulled up to a quiant resturant coming quietly out of the car door, Lizzie following.  
  
"I'd rather have fights then the nerve racking silent treartment she's giving us" the spicy aromas of the tiny side shop, sent her tummy rumbling. She hadn't had the time or energy to eat anything in awhile. Now just the thought of a chocolate chip banana muffin, or a tangy orange raisin scone that The Cup were famous for brought her mouth watering. "Hmm, yeah, I suppose" Gordo skillfully lead her through the crowd, thick and heavy and somehow successfully found a empty small table.   
  
"Gordo... do you mind now telling me why you called me down for brunch? We are, I'm afriad, running out of light talk" As soon as the waitress, who as if by magic appeared out of no where to drop a huge pot of tea and cups brimming with spicy tea and collect orders, left she adressed this plainly towards him. Gordo gave a soft laugh, the first one in awhile. "No, lets not add anymore small talk" he insisted taking a sip of the warm delicious fluid.   
  
Their tea was what made The Cup quite famous in Hillridge. Rare and delicious it was flicked with uunknown herbs and sweets no one knew about. "Lizzie, I want to talk about that night... I just need to get it out to someone who understands, but if you don't want to get into it, I understand" Lizzie took her own sip, shaking her head. "No, No, I want to hear this. I want to talk about that day too"   
  
He knew she would uunderstand. He knew Lizzie had been exploding with thoughts to talk about, but she knew no one else really would listen. "Ok, look, this may be a bit odd but I have a thought." Gordo declared slowly sipping another steaming turn of tea, the teacup huge and creative in his hands. Lizzie leaned back for a long dictionary definition and reasonable thoughts but what he said was barely reasonable.   
  
"I think.... I think somone killed both Johanseens and faked the suicide."  
  
Lizzie fought back the urge to spit her tea into his face. "What?" she hissed leaning forward in unbelieveablity. Annie had a gun clasped to her hand for heavensakes! That had to be proof enough. "Look before you go into hysterics listen please?" Gordo hardly looked shocked by her reaction, his hands shoved into his big windbreaker jackey and his glittering eyes shimmering with ideas and excitement. She hadn't liked that look one bit.  
  
"It's just to easy.... and way to familiar. To planned. Here's what I think. Whoever it was that killed them, maybe, shotting the gun at Jim and then at Annie in the head. They they dropped the gun in the palm of her head and quietly got what they needed. That's how it seems so familiar to me. As if I had heard this plan before..."   
  
"Ok, look, Gordo, I appreciate your imagination, I really do, but I think your going a bit overboard on this. The gun had Annie's prints all over them! And what stuff of importance would they have worth such value as two people's lives?" Lizzie challeneged in a whispered hiss. As if someone might be spuing them in the crowded wild resturant. And actually listen to Gordo's crazy idea.  
  
It sounded like a plot to one of his old films in high school. Not some thing that'll happen in real life. "Ok, I have answers to both so listen" he leaned forward his long lean shoulders tight against the back of his windbreaker. "Gloves. I took the decency to check the prints out myself and saw that it was just a palm print. They think they see fingerprints but there isn't any truth that she had grasped that handle, Lizzie"  
  
"The whole idea is not one bit stable. It could be what it seems or it could be something entirely different."  
  
The waitress, a tired ignorant teenager, dropped off the orange raisin scones, wishing them a very false good day. Lizzie plastered on her own smile and as soon as the waitress left, she turned her heated gaze on her friend. "I think you've been watching and directing way to many TV shows, Gordo. And that it's time for a nice log nap" she took a hard bite on the tangy afternoon snack.  
  
Even the delicious flavor of the unique scone could get her to see the reason in Gordo's theory. He was making more out of a devasting yet simple situation, then there was wasn't he? Gordo sighed taking his own pastry and devouring it in a heartbeat. Looks like a lack of sleep and a lack of food. Megan should feed him more often, Lizzie noted, watching how big the windbreaker on him was. Just skin and bones. No wonder he was going insane.  
  
"Look, Liz, I know it sounds weird, complicated, and even just a bit disturbing.... but I just have one of those nudges. You know? Those gut feelings that tell you your not excatly wrong in the situation.. I can't back down.. but I'm going to need your help, and Miranda's help. Please help me on this Lizzie" he leaned forward hoping she would get this situation. How he could never be normal unless he was absolutely and positively sure that this case was nothing more then a screwed up marriage, now that it had caught him.  
  
Lizzie saw the stubborn glaze in his eyes, knowing no matter how many times she threw this aside, called his theory crap or called him crazy he would still be on this 'idea' like a dog to a t-bone. Until it lost interest. And she had a distinct feeling that would take a long, long while.  
  
Taking another sip of the tea, she starred a moment and then took a huge bite of another pastry again. "Fine" she grumbled through a mouth full, unhappy that she had given in so easily, especially to something she had so easily decided was crazy and insane. "I'll help, but it's only limited to when I feel like it and whenever I want" at least she would get to lay down the rules and standards and not follow him like a freackin detective assistant.  
  
Gordo grinned, resisting the urge to jump across the table and hug her tightly. He knew he interested her in some way, shape, or form that had gotten her to say yes to this. Some idea in his theory had caught her into it as well. Or she would have said no. But she didn't. Perfect. She was right next door to the house, this was going to make things so much easier if Lizzie was on his side and showed some sort-- even if it was very small--- interest.  
  
Lizzie felt disgusted to know how easily she went in for this, and knew that his words weren't as insane as she wished.They did hold some logical truth. Sadly, they did. And caught her interest. Swallowing the large chew of the scone she squinted at him, who had easily developed his hunger back and was scraffing down whatever he could get his hands on. Damn you, David Gordon.   
  
He could do just about anything and not worry about it, like she was now. Her mind was swirling and she had him to thank for. Damn him. Grr.  
  
***  
  
Lizzie pushed her sunglasses atop her head starring blankly at the huge walkways that lead to the mall and decided to go into a small shop called Lickericous, a cute shoe store with the oddest unique shoes she had ever seen. Hillridge had defaintely taken a turn and it was a good one too. 'Specially for the shoppers of the century.   
  
Problems had been getting to her these last few days. Alice had slowly came out of her room, skin and bones and looking worse for wear. And had decided to become a mute. She didn't speak to anyone, except for Anya, her new best friend, so basicly they had to correspond through Miranda's daughter to speak to Alice. For now, she was staying with her Aunt for 2 weeks before she came to stay at the McGuire's for awhile. Alice was always on her worries.  
  
And then living next to a crime scene didn't excatly unravel her nerves ethier. Police cars, cops, yellow tape, reporters everywhere. If she was asked one more time what she thought of the Johanseens and why Annie was crazy she would scream and tear every piece of her sun bleached blonde hair out of her skull. Night and day they were, and never gave up until they had gotten what they wanted. It was actually creepy in a way.  
  
And then Gordo. He was more likely going to drive her crazy rather then those stupid reporters. At night she'll end up helping him sneak into the house next door, or let him hack away on his computer for information on his little 'theory'. So far she was proud to say he hasn't found anything, and could only hope his idea was jack squat and he would forget about it and move on. Lizzie knew Megan thought the same way. Her angered phone calls on asking where her fiancee was pretty much explained it all.   
  
Everything had just come together today, and when Gordo had called to ask about using her room to sneak onto the roof of the house and get into the attic, she had blown up. This was the last thing she wanted right now, especially now of all times when she had just finally gotten back home. She hated this. So Lizzie got up picked up her purse and did what she did best.   
  
And that was shop.  
  
She had already spent a good amount of cash on about 12 shirts and a few pants and a adorable little hat that matched with her pink and orange skirt, all hanging in bags off her arms. And now it was time for shoes. She roamed the tiny store eyeing the odd shoes with happiness when she noticed a deep rumbling in her stomach. Lizzie was hunger and her stomach didn't heistate to tell her.   
  
She should go find some food before she went and spent all her money on clothes and have nothing left for lunch. Peering around the plaza crowded immensely on a Saturday she frowned wrinkling her nose. Except for the whole crowd thing. Hillridge had defaintely gotten more crowded then she last remembered.   
  
She swam through the swarms of people clutching to her bags and purse in hops to see a small resturant or the entrance to the food court anywhere. Anywhere right now would be great, whether the food sucked or not. She had eaten so much in the few little days just to fill that gapping hole in her heart from recent events that she hadn't really thought of what she had eaten since the funeral.   
  
"Oooooh" she suddenley stopped in the middle of a river of people and sniffed. The delicious smell of spaghetti noodles floating in some sort of exotic sauce made her stomach roar with anticipation. Food. Good smelling food. And nearby too. How convienant. Hungry stomachs do come in handy sometimes....  
  
Turning a corner, she found the small italian resturant small and perfect with a few customers and a small outside part for special guests. "Oooooh, smells good, good, good" she said happily as she went through the people and stepped past the few tables the placed inside to get to the entrance of the quiant resturant.  
  
"Lizzie?" a voice cut her off from her mission for sweet smelling spaghetti, as Lizzie had just about opened the door to go into her haven. Gah, bad timing. The food was so close, yet so far. "Yes?" she turned around to peer at where the voice came from and suddenley stopped when a meatbeal hoagie bearing Ethan Crafte came up to hug her tightly.   
  
"It is you!!!! I thought it was, but the short hair threw me off about a mile" the tall towering old high school friend teased squeezing her small frame in a bear hug a saucey grin on his well chiseled face.   
  
Lizzie laughed for the first time in awhile, her eyes roaming over the new and improved Ethan Crafte. He stood in a pair of plain white shirt, crinkled and dirty, and old jeans but still looked as sexy as ever. He over-towered her, in a tan muscular body. His blonde hair was fashioned alot like Gabe's except a bit longer behind the neck, like during middle school.   
  
  
  
  
  
"Wow Ethan Crafte.... look at you!!!" she acknowledged standing back to still stare... well ok she could admit she was drooling.... over him. He was still as adorable as ever, tall and masculine. Ethan grinned his own pale blue eyes skimming over the girl he once knew. She wasn't excatly a girl anymore. She was a women. And an extremely beautiful looking women. Her hair was short and wavy held in two pigtails, in a small jean skirt and a pink shirt, resorting back to some teenage style she use to wear.  
  
  
  
Not bad, not bad at all.  
  
"Lizzie, Lizzie, Lizzie... you look... great" he said for lack of words, to describe how much she had changed. Sure, she looked great in school, but compared to Kate Sanders at the time... well truth be told there was no comparison. Kate was the way to go. But Lizzie... she had changed way for the better. "I haven't seen you in awhile.. when did you come back ?"  
  
Lizzie grinned. "A couple days ago, actually. My brother, Matt, is getting married, so I came down for awhile." she shurgged holding her purse in two hands. "Gosh, its been so long... what are you up too?" Ethan sensed a long conversation come along and grinned. A perfect way to detour around this. "Hey, we should catch up. Why don't you join me for lunch? This hoagie's just done, and I was planning to order some spaghetti" he pointed to the empty seat near his table with his menu a friendly grin plastered on his face scarfing down the last of his sandwhich.  
  
Lizzie starred at her wristwatch. She was sure Gordo wouldn't have mind if she took a small little lunch break. I mean, it was Ethan Crafte all grown up! Miranda would certainly approve of this lunch date. Lizzie broke into a half smirk. "Alright, sure" she shurgged as she pulled over the chair sitting across with a unbearable grin. She couldn't help it. He was ... amazing.   
  
"So, tell me everything. What happened since high school?" she questioned eagerly as Ethan peered through the menu items. He looked up a long blonde tendril in his tan lean face.She fought the urge to put it behind his ear. Lizzie though contained herself. Hands in lap at all times. Ethan flashed her a grin. She was defaintly cute when she was happy. She was someone he wouldn't mind getting close to. Good thing he and Briana broke up earlier...  
  
"Oh well, believe it or not I graduated" he said with a slight tease, breaking into a cocky half smirk. Lizzie felt herself flush brightly at the thought of high school. Ethan well... lets just leave it at he wasn't the smartest person in school. As Gordo stated many times, he had the attention span of a five year old. "No... you weren't... I mean..."   
  
Ethan chuckled gladly noting the flush on her cheeks. "Don't worry" he stated holding up a hand. "I was stupid. Really I was" he insisted. It was true. He ... it was even a surprise to his parents that he had graduated. But when he found he actually did ... and it wasn't because of the fact he did something. He did the teachers a favor. A big favor. He sighed remembering that. That was what changed his mind.   
  
He brought a small smile back on his pleasent hard-to-resist face. "After that, I decided to use my brain to us. Went to college. Insisted on working as a lawyer" Lizzie tried to mask her amazement. Ethan a lawyer... She imagined him dressed up in a tux, his long silky hair slicked back, talking furiously to a shocked jury. It was a pretty good picture. "A lawyer .... you've done good Ethan" she stated as he handed her the menu for her turn.  
  
He laughed again. Lizzie felt herself grin despite herself. He had such a contagious laugh. So pleasent and friendly and open. It would make even strangers want to become friends with him. Especially female strangers. "And how about you?" he asked her leaning back against the comfortable round metallic chairs. "How's my favorite girl in Hillridge High doing?"  
  
"Don't you mean the best lab partner in Hillridge High ever?" Lizzie shot back playfully, remembering in their senior year how many times he had needed to borrow her homework for many different reasons, one of them not being to check over to make sure they had both gotten the same answers. "I'm actually doing pretty good. I'm a archeologist and I was just off stationed in a dig in Ireland.... I'm getting pretty much the well deserved break I needed for awhile.... and after my mom called about Matt's wedding I couldn't help myself but come on over and visit..."  
  
"Yeah.... we were all worried about you, Liz. It's defainately nice to have you back" Ethan gave her a crooked grin sadly remembering the circumstances and the shock a few years ago hearing how she had left abruptly in the middle of the night for Florida or whatever was the case and not making any contact at all to her parents. He himself had even been a bit protrubed at the thought. Lizzie Mcguire had always been the cool, the calm, and the collected.....   
  
But once you thought about it Ethan probably would have gone ballistic too, after that harsh week.   
  
"It's nice to be back... I can't believe how much this place changed only in a course of a few years... amazing...." suddenley Lizzie felt her purse ring violently and she cursed whoever it was dialing her cellphone. "Aaaah... excuse me" she said hurriedly as Ethan checked his own cellphone, the case of one not being sure who's who. Digging she picked up the tiny Nokia phone plane and normal but well loved and picked up. "Hello, Lizzie speaking"  
  
"Liz, honey, where are you? I need you to come and help me get the attic cleaned up for Alice...Sorry about the short notice, but your father just left to go help Matt with something, and I was expecting him to help me... can you come?" Lizzie heard the bossiness in her mother's voice, still use to having her children listen to her and not giving them a choice or a desicion. She grinned at it shaking her head. She just wasn't going to let them grow up...  
  
"Yeah, sure, Mom. I'll come down in a little bit alright?" Lizzie replied as the phone fuzzed back a reply and she shut it off giving Ethan a apologetic smile. "Sorry... we're going to have to cancel lunch" she said more sorry then he was probably at the fact of not spending a nice day with drop dead gorgeous old accquiantance. She wasn't that far off though. Ethan was actually finding himself looking forward to having a nice lunch with Lizzie too.   
  
Which was why he suddenley found himself inviting her for dinner 2 days from now. "That would be nice.... I've barely seen anybody except Miranda and Gordo...." Lizzie grinned hoping to the gods that the resturant he took her too was a fancy one. Seeing him a tux would probably make her day. Ethan grinned watching her leave with a small smile. He wouldn't mind all that much seeing her in a slinky dress ethier. "It would be nice, indeed"  
  
They hugged, two good friends happy to see one another from a long time difference. But before Lizzie rounded the corner she had to give herself a last peek at Ethan Crafter the LAWYER.   
  
And awfully adorable good friend he was.  
  
***  
  
Took me long enough dontcha think???  
  
. gaaaaaaah   
  
Thank You and Have a Nice Day  
  
~MerlinsApprentince 


	7. Part 7

The Wish  
  
***  
  
Chapter 7  
  
A/N: Hey there. Sorry for the delay. Alots hectic with school and everything . Never take Latin. Telling you all that now. Do spanish... don't be smart and try to take latin, lol. And I'm also going to start trying to work on my fanfiction more often then I did before. I promise. I have papers littered all over my floor, and my mother threathened to throw them away if I didn't do something with them ^.^;;; so here I am.  
  
Enjoy this chapter. Now remember I hate Lizzie/Ethan as much as you Gordo/Lizzie shippers. But it's all for the benefit of the story.  
  
Watch out for the twists and turns. ^.^  
  
***  
  
"Hey there" Lizzie greeted Miranda with a odd amount of abundant energy her best friend hadn't seen in awhile. Ever since the funeral she hadn't seen Liz break into that smile.   
  
Dropping her cup of tea, Miranda raised an eyebrow. "Well, what brought the suunshine into your day?" she questioned pulling back her dark black locks behind her. "Huh?" Lizzie gave another dazzling grin. You could practically see the glow radiating off her , slow but steady, her blue eyes sparkling. Oh yeah soemthing good had defainatly happened.  
  
"Spill" Miranda said half teasingly half serious taking a gulp of the exotic coffee The Cup never failed to produce. Lizzie laughed, loud and with a real ring to it.She just couldn't help it. Everything seemed to deserve a laugh or a smile these days. "Well" she said stealing a piece of Miranda's muffin. "I saw Ethan yesterday"  
  
A image of a spacey, yet adorable water polo player from her high school years played through Miranda's mind. "Ethan Crafte?" she asked vaguely. Any boys before her husband always seemed a bit vague to her. Even it if was Ethan Crafte, the girl's crush throughout middle and high school years.  
  
"Yes, Ethan Crafte" Lizzie giggled the delicious warm taste of the apricot almond muffin lingered on her taste buds. Sweet. Just like her wonderful afternoon yesterday. It was so odd how one simple hour could change a person's entire persepctive. Especially when it has to do with a old, extremely attractive, high school friend.   
  
"The same one we obsessed over during high school? I thought we were over him when I started dating some guy and you and Gordo had that thing after Rome" Lizzie shurgged in the crowded adult hang out., pulling her stylish bright scarrf tighter around her neck. She hadn't much thought of Ethan then. He was more of Kate's domain that it was hard enough to think baout him let alone have emotional feelings for him.  
  
But now... he was Kate-less and from now she could tell amazingly single. And she thanked god she was just entering single-dom. "Gordo's engaged and your married. He's a freackin lawyer, Miranda. A hot lawyer" The muffin in Miranda's throat refused to be swallowed as the thought of the simple minded Ethan Crafte in court. Coughing up the pastry in pure shock, she gasped for air and croaked. "Ethan Crafte a ....lawyer?!!"  
  
Lizzie scrambled for the orange juice handing it to her friend grinning slightly. Yeah, she was amazed too when he said it. Almost couldn't believe it. But when he hand't used the words "Dude" and "Sweet" the truth in his words began to ring. Lizzie began to believe. And the image of him in a expensive armani suite tesitfying might have helped her desicion some what as well. "Drink" the blonde ordered, laughing, as Miranda hurried for the liquid.  
  
"My reaction was somewhat the same, then the the fact I hadn't choked on anything" the glare Miranda sent her told Lizzie she hadn't found her teasing funny at all. "Are you sure it just isn't silly old feelings left from behind though?" Miranda gasped lightly, oxygen still alittle unwilling. "He invitied me to lunch in a few days. He's taking me to Viggo's" Lizzie let the word Viggo's sink into her friend's head as she contently sipped her tea, the small merry smile on her lips.  
  
"Viggo's? The high expensive, italian restuarant no one can get a reservation in? That Viggo's?" Miranda asked, slightly impressed. A stud, a lawyer, and a man who paid as much for a cheap car, for a dinner for one night. Not bad, not bad at all. Lizzie knodded, somewhat proud of this.  
  
"The one and only. No, I don't think I had any left over feelings for the Ethan Crafte I knew from school. But the smart, gorgeous Ethan Crafte of today on the other hand.. I.. it's... I don't know how to explain it." Lizzie giggled lightly, tracing her finger against the lid of the large teacup. And it was the truth. Lizzie didn't have a way to explain the feeling she had felt when he had smilied brightly and happy at the sight of her, the way her heart fluttured when he took her arm or how something had lit up inside her when he had promised a daye later, something he looked as if he to would be anticipating it as much as she would.  
  
Miranda smilied softly, the light in Lizzie's bright, blue eyes making sense all of a sudden. The crush worked wonders on her best friend. "Aaah... someone's got a crush." she teased, lightly giggling. Lizzie laughed too, noting how the word, crush, made her sound like a 12 year old who just discovered the wonders of boys.  
  
Which in a way, was true for Lizzie McGuire. Except, she just found the wonders of the attractice courtroom man, Ethan Crafte....  
  
***  
  
"Hmm... it's just so.... weird" Gordo sighed, starring down at the autopsy photos of the late Mr. and Mrs. Johanseen and throwing them aside at Lizzie's kitchen table. He had been working on this for at least two weeks, and he still hadn't gotten anywhere yet.   
  
"I don't know what your talking about..." Lizzie mummbled from her perch atop the kitchen counter, eating away at a tangy orange. Her goal was to stay as far away as possible from the autopsy photos Gordo brought over to 'inspect. She saw the dead bodies once.. she didn't need to glance at them again.   
  
"What excatly is your point at looking over these, anyways?" Lizzie questioned unsurely, as she hopped down throwing away the orange peels littered in her lap. That was a good question, indedd. Gordo really didn't know the answer to it ethier. It was just something about it that was bothering him greatly. A itch that just wouldn't leave him alone.   
  
It had bothered him so much. It must have beem something he saw that night. Something that didn't quite fit with the picture. Or at least puzzled him. And it wasn't in these pictures. Things were becoming very fustrating, very fast.  
  
"I don't know" he answered reluctantly, throwing aside more pictures from the morge. "Well, it won't help much now will it?" Lizzie teased leaning against the counter and starring coldly at the photos. Gordo sighed again, ,scarthing at his black dark curls that have grown long with age. What to do, what to do...  
  
Something he saw about them just rang peculair to him. Maybe it had to be something they were wearing, rather then what they looked like or their shot wounds.. "Where are those photos from the Detective.....?" he grumbled to himself as he pulled at his pile of papers surrounding him.  
  
Lizzie sighed as she raised a thin blonde eyebrow as she sat down next to him at her long kitchen table, seeing that those nasty morgue pictures were put away. She didn't know how Gordo could just look at those and just not squirm. It was horrible enough seeing them for real, let alone in just a picture. She shuddered slightly as she watched him take out a folder from the detective that was working on the case.   
  
"Maybe it was something I saw that night... maybe or something they wore...." Lizzie watched him ruun his hands through his dense thick curls once again, and saw how stuck he was on this. "Something is really bothering you with this, isn't it?" she questioned putting her head atop her hand, watching him try to unravel this 'mystery' by himself.   
  
Lizzie still didn't see the logic in it. They were a screwed up family. End of story. Of course, Gordo didn't see that. But Gordo never did look only at the surface. He looked above and beyond. He wouldn't never take the first answer. Oh no, not David Gordon.   
  
"It's just something about them that strikes familiar to me..." he wrinkled his nose, blowing out the hot air of fustration. He just didn't get it! None of it! It didn't make any sense to him whatsoever. It rattled him , a deep chord inside him, rattling deeply, every time he looked at the two Johanseens. He conscience had seen something that deeply disturbed it, and so is now trying to warn him.   
  
He couldn't help but sigh again, as he pulled out the paper size pictures of the crime scene. The death and gore was just as he remembered that odd unfortunate night. He felt his throat close uncomfortably. As much as he was into this 'mystery', it was all real. These were two dead people. Parents to a distressed little girl, who can barely make it out of her bedroom.  
  
The blood that night was real. Not from a television show. Their vacant, dead eyes starring out into the abyss of their house was real. The gun clasped in Mrs.Johanseen's hand was real. The matching pinky rings with tiny gems instoned of it....  
  
Rings...   
  
The chord inside Gordo suddenley began to hum violently deep inside him. He shook as he suddenely grabbed the two photos of the Mr. and Mrs. and brought them closer, his eyes never leaving the rings on both their fingers. It wasn't their wedding rings. The plain, gold bands on their hands definately stated their purpose as those rings. "Gordo... what are you doing?" Lizzie watched silently as the young man's eyes widened slighlty as he flicked open his cellphone he had quickly yanked from his pocket dialing a number with shaking fingers.  
  
Something had happened as Gordo disappeared into the living room with the photos. "Gordo.... what is going on?" Lizzie followed him suddenley rattled as Gordo talked on the cellphone quickly and curtly. He must have found something. What was it? What in the world was going on? Another piece to Gordo's puzzle perhaps?  
  
What was the puzzle anyways?  
  
Lizzie was in the dark as she watched Gordo pace wildly the pictures clasped tightly in his grasp. "Thank you, Officer. You've helped alot. Uh-huh. Thanks again. Goodbye" Gordo threw aside the small expensive cellphone onto the couch without a thought on how he could have damaged it. He sighed, so heavily as if he was holding his breath through out the entire conversation.  
  
Despite the fact he was talking to whoever it was the entire time. "Gordo.. what happened?!!!" Lizzie repeated from the door frame of the kitchen into her living room. Gordo turned to her eyes wide a bit surprised from his findings.  
  
"They were Feds, Liz"  
  
He starred down at the photos that were wrinkled from his grasp and down at their pinky rings once again. "Federal agents to a secert organization connected to the FBI. OO7, if you well" he shook his curly locks, ,as he collasped onto the couch rubbing his sleepless eyes. Lizzie starred for a moment letting the information sink into her head.  
  
FBI.... Alice's parents were part of the federal agency. "Oka... so what? Their cops, whoop de doo" croaked Lizzie not wanting to believe what reality was throwing at her. "How do you know anyway? What do you know?"  
  
"They've been off-duty since Alice was born. They haven't had a case since. It doesn't really explain much but we're starting at somewhere at least" Gordo mummured lightly behind his hands as he rubbed his face. It was right in from to of him! How could he had not seen them? Did the police know about this?  
  
Their federal agents were killed by who knows what... if they police knew how come they hadn't told him sometime during his pestering? "How do you know?" Lizzie repeated, not bothering to ask to see the  
  
pictures again, she just stood there waiting for him to explain to all of this to her and her very confused and mushy brain.   
  
"These rings. Awhile back, I used to work for this cheesy movie productions and it had to do with the realization of actual FBI agents. I remember I did alot of research and hacking on it. There's these little rings you get if your from a tiny small part of the agency like Annie and Jim. It holds your real identity and what you mean to the agency incoded inside. Once your retired you keep it for a job well done and adios. Their quite expensive really, 25 karat hold and encrusted with real jeweled stones. I kept thinking about how that reminded me of our class ring from Hillridge High... when I saw it in the picture and it hit me.  
  
I just talked to a friend of mine about it. He concluded it for me and insisted it was so. This is part of something big, Lizzie... I can feel it" Gordo mummured as he looked up at the dumbfounded blonde. "I really don't think Annie murdered her husband and committed suicide. It's to obvious... I mean... these are parents who risked death every day of there life. It all just doesn't click...."  
  
Lizzie listened as she thought it over. The gun had just the palm print on it so they couldn't quite say Annie had shot the gun. And they were both retired federal agents. They could have basicly have anybody chasing after them with their old jobs and all. On everybody's death wish, if they had pushed and messed with the wrong people as federal agents do, do on their cases.  
  
Lizzie gulped slightly hugging herself. This case wasn't as innocent as she had thought. There was more to it. Clues. Gordo had found one of them... their would surely be more. Their was so many possibilities on this....  
  
"Yeah... it looks pretty big to me, Gordo. Pretty big thing we have on our hands now..."  
  
***  
  
Dun, dun, dun!!!  
  
Ha. Pretty expectable. Not so expectable as the story goes on. Promise. Don't we all love federal agents? They just make life SO INTERESTING!!!  
  
And create awesome story plots ^.^  
  
GO FEDS!!!  
  
Thank You and Have a Nice Day.  
  
~MerlinsApprentince 


End file.
